Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan today announced that a new commission would be constituted to investigate the Bhopal gas disaster. He assured to bring before justice, those responsible for the “man-made” tragedy.
He informed the House that more than 500,000 gas victims had been ignored by “the Centre” and his government would move to court and file a case. “We will urge the Centre to make the state government a party in a case pending in a US court. If it is not possible we will seek justice for our people at our own,” Chouhan asserted and assured, “those 14 wards adjacent to the factory area, will be given free of cost water supply at doorstep.”
Coming down heavily on the main opposition Congress whose members Arif Aqueel, Mahendra Singh Kalukheda, Rakesh Singh Chaturvedi and others moved an adjournment motion on the issue, Chouhan produced documentary evidences and alleged, “The then government ensured a safe passage to Warren Anderson from Bhopal either following instructions from Delhi high command or some other powers compelled the then Central government to do so.”
He raised questions on abrupt winding up of the Bhopal Poisonous Gas Leakage (1984) Inquiry Commission’ headed by Justice N K Singh on December 17, 1985 by the then chief minister.
Narrating excerpts of a remark made on a note sheet pertaining to the termination of the commission, Chouhan said, “The then chief minister made a statement in the Assembly and announced (on December 17, 1985) to wind up the commission. In reality the then chief secretary K C S Acharya has clearly mentioned in his remark that the commission was abruptly terminated on verbal and not written recommendation of the political committee on Central cabinet. And, the chief minister’s statement which he had made in House was prepared by Acharya after ensuring due approval from the Cabinet secretary.”
Chouhan asked, “On what ground Cabinet secretary’s approval was required for a chief minister before making a statement in the House regarding termination on the Commission? The public of the state wants to know the reasons which forced those chief ministers and their Delhi bosses to allow Anderson to leave the country. Why had they wound up the commission?”
He also asked and demanded an explanation from the members of the opposition, “What necessitated the then Congress-ruled government in 1975, when an Emergency was effective in the country, to grant permission for Union Carbide to manufacture MIC and highly toxic gases like phosgene used in world war, in spite the facts that accidents took place in the factory during 1980 to 1983 and it was widely reported in the media.”
On toxic waste removal he informed the house that the state government has terminated lease period of the Union Carbide factory on July 9, 1998 and department of industries had taken it in its possession. The government will now demand the land back in a similar condition as it was leased out to the company. “Only the company has to remove toxic waste and hand over the land to state government.”
Meanwhile, Chouhan assured the house that his government will ensure Rs 500 per month pensions to the destitute, their houses will be renovated and kidney and cancer patients will get free treatment in gas relief hospitals.
