Shivraj Singh Chouhan 'disappointed' with PM on Anderson's extradition issue

BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan today said he was "disappointed" that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh did not discuss the extradition of former Union Carbide chief Warren Anderson and compensation for Bhopal Gas tragedy victims with US President Barack Obama.

"It was expected that the Prime Minister would discuss the Bhopal Gas Tragedy with Obama but he did not do so," Chouhan told reporters here.

Singh had met Obama on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit in Toronto.

Chouhan said it was insufficient for the Prime Minister to say that efforts would be made for the extradition of Anderson.

"I want to ask the Prime Minister who will make these efforts, when they would be made and what would be the process for them," the chief minister said, adding that he was "extremely disappointed" with the approach of the Centre towards the tragedy.

The 89-year-old former Union Carbide chief was declared an absconder in the case by a court here.

Chouhan said he had written a letter to the prime minister drawing his attention to discrepancies in the recommendations made by the Group of Ministers (GoM) on the Gas tragedy.

It was not correct on the part of the GoM to recommend compensation and relief for only 40,000 gas victims, he said.

The state government will take all possible steps for getting the 20 wards (in the city) declared as gas-hit besides ensuring adequate compensation, relief, social, economic and medical rehabilitation of the gas victims, Chouhan said.