The Group of Ministers (GoM) on Bhopal gas tragedy is understood to have today decided to recommend filing of a curative petition in the Supreme Court to fix criminal liability, seek extradition of former UCC CEO Warren Anderson and cleaning up the complex by burying the toxic waste.
Official sources said the curative petition will focus on criminal liability of the accused and seek more stringent charges as the apex court had diluted the IPC section under culpable homicide not amounting to murder against the accused to negligence on their part.
Headed by Home Minister P Chidambaram, the GoM, which met for the third consecutive day today, also favoured approaching the United States to seek extradition of former Union Carbide chief to face trial in India in the Bhopal gas disaster case. The tragedy, which occurred in the intervening night of December 2-3, 1984, has left over 15,000 people dead and thousands maimed.
The GoM is also likely to recommend the burying of contaminated soil at the site itself in a scientific manner and the Madhya Pradesh government will carry out the task for which the Central government will provide financial and technical assistance, the sources said.
Chidambaram told reporters after the meeting that the GoM has covered all the subjects that were identified and is expected to submit its report to the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh tomorrow.
"The minutes are being drawn up. Tomorrow, the GoM will meet again to finalise the minutes -- finalise the recommendations and conclusions. I expect to send the report to the Prime Minister tomorrow afternoon," he said.
