File affidavit on compliance with gas tragedy directives: MP

The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Tuesday ordered the Centre to file an affidavit detailing compliance with its directives on providing proper medical treatment to those affected by the 1984 Bhopal Gas tragedy.

Some 3,800 people were killed and several times that number were injured after several tonnes of methyl isocyanate gas leaked from Union Carbide's pesticide factory on the intervening night of December 2-3, 1984.

The HC is hearing petitions filed by the Bhopal Gas Peedith Mahila Udyog Sanghtan, Bhopal Group For Information and Action, and Bhopal Gas Peedith Sangarsh Sahyog Samiti for providing medical care to affected persons.

A division bench of Chief Justice AK Mittal and Justice VK Shukla on Tuesday directed the Union government to file these details, as well as steps taken to comply with recommendations of the monitoring committee, on affidavit by January 28, the next date of hearing, the petitioner's counsel Rajesh Chand said.

The monitoring committee does medical surveillance of those affected by the gas leak, he added.

The court allowed an application filed by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare secretary for exemption from appearing in person before the court on Tuesday, the counsel said.

On December 18, 2019, the court had directed the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare secretary to appear in person for Tuesday's hearing over delay in merger of Bhopal Memorial Hospital and Research Centre with AIIMS in the city, Chand added.