Government clears Rs 1,256-crore package for Bhopal tragedy

The government on Thursday cleared a financial package of Rs 1,256.65 crore for the Bhopal gas tragedy that includes Rs 650-700 crore towards compensation to victims. It will also continue its chase to bring back the then Union Carbide chief Warren Anderson, pursue legal means to force Dow Chemicals to cough up more penalty and stricter punishments for the convicts of the 1984 gas tragedy that claimed tens of thousands of lives.

While the government, under immense political pressure, decided to award more compensation, it will not give the enhanced ex-gratia payment to all victims. Out of almost 500,000 victims who have earlier received compensation, only 45,000 — or the “most severe cases” — will be considered for the additional compensation.

Acting on the Group of Minister’s report on Bhopal, the Union Cabinet today decided “additional material in support of the request for extradition of Anderson will be put together by concerned agencies and the foreign ministry will thereafter press the request for extradition with the US government.” The Attorney General will examine whether a curative petition could be filed in the Supreme Court for reconsideration of the compensation amount, earlier settled at $470 million.

Exploration blocks
The government on Thursday approved awarding seven coal-bed-methane blocks for exploration and one exploration block under the eighth round of the New Exploration Licensing Policy. Essar Oil Ltd bagged four CBM blocks, while Arrow Energy won two blocks through separate joint ventures with Oil India Ltd and Tata Power Company Ltd. The remaining one block went to Great Eastern Energy Corporation.