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Bhopal gas leak victims to seek more compensation

          New Delhi/Bhopal: Victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy said on Tuesday that they will file a plea with the Supreme Court for a five-fold jump in compensation as the number of known victims had soared in recent years. In December 1984, tonnes of toxic gas leaked from US-based Union Carbide's plant in Bhopal, killing thousands of people almost immediately and injuring tens of thousands. Union Carbide, now owned by Dow Chemical Co., paid 470 million dollars in compensation to residents in 1989, but only some of that amount has been distributed due to legal and bureaucratic tangles over categorisation and the genuineness of claims.

          At the time of the settlement with Union Carbide, it was estimated around 3,000 people had died and 102,000 were ill as a result of the deadly methyl isocynate gas leaking into the air. But a SC verdict on Monday ordering the disbursement of the remaining 15.03 billion rupees compensation given in 1989 also accepted the latest government figures that around 15,000 had died and over 550,000 victims were eligible for compensation due to exposure-related illnesses. "First time yesterday, in the last 20 years, it has been admitted that there are more than 500,000 victims. Till now they were denying this. The settlement signed said that there were only 100,000 victims. Now that the court has admitted that the victims are five times more, the compensation should also be five times. The compensation should be given by the India's federal government because the Union Carbide is not here anymore," Indira Jaisingh, senior counsel for the victims told a new conference in New Delhi.

          In a verdict in 1991, the SC said if the extent of the tragedy and number of victims-was found to be more than initially estimated, the Indian government would make good the shortfall in compensation. Activists say the government should try to get more money from Union Carbide to pay the extra compensation they are seeking. In Bhopal, the site of the tragic event, hundreds of victims and locals took out a rally demanding clean drinking water. Environmentalists say over 4000 metric tonnes of toxic waste lying untreated in the abandoned complex in the city has been polluting underground water and soil posing serious threat to the local people. "The people of these 14 colonies are drinking contaminated water coming from the Union Carbide factory," Salinath Sarangi, an activist, said. "We are asking the government to supply water from the Kolar pipeline. The water we are drinking contains poison and is spreading disease. Our families are falling sick," Shehzadi, another activist, said. India continues to pursue criminal charges against ex-Union Carbide chairman Warren Anderson, now retired in New York state. An Indian investigation found that the gas leaked into the air while workers of the company were cleaning a tank. Many victims continue to suffer shortness of breath and a burning sensation in their chest and throats.

One dead in slum fire in Capital (Go To Top)

         New Delhi: At last one woman died and thousands of people were rendered homeless here Tuesday when a major fire ravaged one of the Capital's largest slum clusters - Yamuna Pushta. Over 2000 shanties were destroyed as the fire, aided by hay and plastic wastes stocked in the dwellings, spread rapidly. Firemen worked for more than two hours and 30 water tenders were used to bring the massive blaze under control. According to eyewitnesses, the fire started around noon. "The hutments caught fire at 11.30 a.m. and we could not take anything. We are left with only the clothes we are wearing," said Upinder Yadav, a resident of the locality. Authorities who put the casualty figure to one, said that the fire could have started due to a cooking stove. "One person has died and search is on. As it was lunch time so we believe that fire might have been caught by a stove," said S. M. Rishi, assistant divisional officer, fire services. Housing close to 1.5 million people, the "Yamuna Pushta" as the slum is known, is home to a motley mix of leather-workers, domestic helps, labourers and rickshaw pullers.

Woman who died in custody in Manipur was a militant, says Army (Go To Top)

         Kolkata: The Indian Army on Tuesday said that the woman who died in police custody in Manipur earlier this month, was member of an outlawed rebel group. The remote state has been rocked since the 32-year old Manorama Devi was found dead after she was picked up by Assam Rifles on July 11. "On the question of Manorama Devi of Manipur, I shall just have to say that whatever has happened is an unfortunate incident, that she has died. But the fact of the matter is that she was a confirmed member of PLA (People's Liberation Army) cadre," said JS Verma, the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern command, while attending a function in Kolkata. "She was involved in a large number of IED (Improvised Explosive Device) blasts in which civilians have lost their lives, civilians have been injured, army people have been injured and policemen have been injured," he added. Verma said that an inquiry has been launched into the incident. "So far with all the available information with us as the state government has not released the post-mortem examination report, there is no case of molestation or torture. The matter is sub-judice and an inquiry has been ordered," added Verma. Indefinite curfew, which was imposed in the state since then, was relaxed for seven hours on Tuesday in parts of the four valley districts of Manipur.

           Family members have denied claims by Assam Rifles that Manorama was an explosives expert and was an active member of the banned People Liberation Army. The country's northeast, comprising seven mountainous federal states, is home to about 200 ethnic groups and has been plagued by revolts since India won independence from Britain in 1947. Rebels accuse the federal government of looting the region's rich mineral resources and neglecting its economy.

Illegal arms racket busted in Punjab (Go To Top)

          Amritsar: The local police busted a gang dealing in illegal arms, and recovered a huge quantity of fire arms and ammunition as well as forged documents, here Tuesday. "Today we have recovered these weapons. Investigations are on and the source will be revealed during investigation, as to from where the weapons came and what was the purpose of sending these weapons? All this will reveal only after investigation. Action will be taken against those found guilty after the inquiry," said Punjab DIG Paramjit Singh Gill. The gang was also involved in the illegal trading of highly potent psychotropic drugs, and 2.5 kilograms of opium was also recovered during the raid. While three men were arrested for their involvement in the racket, eight to ten persons managed to escape. The police have launched a search operation to nab the other gang members. Officials said that the recovery had been one of the largest made in recent times, ever since the eighties when Punjab was rocked by a violent Sikh campaign for a separate homeland.

Shibu Soren submits leave application to LS Speaker (Go To Top)

          New Delhi: Apprehending his possible arrest, Union Coal Minister Shibu Soren on Tuesday applied for leave to the Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee citing `personal reasons'. The application was submitted on Monday to the Speaker's office, informed sources said. On the other hand, a police team from Jharkhand arrived here to execute the arrest warrant against him in connection with a 30- year-old massacre case. A two-member police team led by Ranchi Superintendent of Police Niraj Sinha arrived on Tuesday to execute a non-bailable warrant in connection with the 1975 Chirrudih massacre, a top police official said. The sub-district judicial magistrate of Jamtara on Saturday had issued the arrest warrant to Soren and nine others in connection with the killing of 11 persons in Chirrudih in the district.