Chidambaram to head new GoM on gas tragedy

NEW DELHI: The Manmohan Singh government, which is under attack after the Bhopal verdict for not doing enough to reform the notoriously slow and ineffective industrial laws, on Wednesday re-constituted a group of ministers ( GoM) to go into range of issues concerning the worst ever industrial disaster.

Home Minister P Chidambaram will head the re-constituted panel which was earlier led by Mr Arjun Singh. Mr Singh, who was the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh when the tragedy took place in 1984, is no longer in the government.

Other members of the panel GoM are Ghulam Nabi Azad, M Veerappa Moily, S Jaipal Reddy, Kamal Nath, Kumari Selja, MK Alagiri, Prithviraj Chavan and Jairam Ramesh. Madhya Pradesh minister in-charge of rehabilitation will be a permanent invitee.

The GoM will examine all issues relating to Bhopal gas leakage, including remedial measures and make appropriate recommendations relating to the relief and rehabilitation of the victims of the tragedy and their families.

The re-constitution of the GoM comes two days after the court verdict which drew widespread criticism with the political class in unison terming it as “too little, too late”. Nearly 26 years after the disaster left over 15,000 dead, former Union Carbide India chairman Keshub Mahindra and six others were on Monday sentenced to two years imprisonment.

Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan told reporters in Bhopal that the state government will file an appeal against the “disappointing” verdict in the Bhopal gas tragedy case. He also said the state government will constitute a committee to study the legal aspects before going in for the appeal.

“The much-awaited verdict in the Bhopal gas tragedy case is disappointing. Victims can appeal for an increase in the quantum of punishment. Since people of Bhopal are victims in this case and they are represented by the state government, we have decided to file an appeal to get justice for the victims and to increase the sentence of the convicts,” Mr Chouhan said.

The chief minister also alleged that there was no serious ensure punishment to the guilty. “Victims of the tragedy believe they were cheated,” Mr Chouhan said.