Bhopal gas victims demanded more compensation

NEW DELHI - Terming the increased compensation announced by the government as insufficient, about 700 Bhopal gas tragedy survivors Thursday held a protest at Jantar Mantar here to demand greater compensation in view of the hardships they have faced since 1984.

“The government has announced a compensation package of Rs.10 lakh to the dead and Rs.5 lakh to the injured but till now we have only received a paltry sum of Rs.25,000. The amount of compensation announced after 25 years is nothing compared to the difficulties faced by us,” said Bal Krishna Namdeo, president of Bhopal Gas Peedit Nirakshit Pension Bhogi Sangharsh Morcha.

The survivors took out a march demanding immediate removal of toxic waste lying at the accident site and stringent punishment for the people responsible for the tragedy in 1984.

“We will fight for justice till the end. The sad part is that the government has not taken any action against Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL),” said Rukhsana, another survivor.

The Group of Ministers (GoM) on the Bhopal gas tragedy, headed by Home Minister P. Chidambaram, Monday recommended that the government should press for former Union Carbide chief Warren Anderson’s extradition from the US and earmark Rs.1,500 crore as a relief package for the thousands of people killed and maimed by the tragedy.