Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has reconstituted the empowered group of ministers (EGoM) tasked with suggesting remedial measures to help the victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy. Home Minister P. Chidambaram heads the high-powered panel, which includes Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, Law Minister M. Veerappa Moily, Urban Development Minister S. Jaipal Reddy, Road Transport Minister Kamal Nath, Housing Minister Kumari Selja and Fertiliser Minister M.K. Alagiri. Minister of State for Environment Jairam Ramesh and Minister of State for Science and Technology Prithviraj Chavan are also members. The minister for the Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation Department in the Madhya Pradesh government is a permanent invitee.
A Bhopal court on Monday held Union Carbide and seven of its officials guilty of criminal negligence and sentenced them to two years' imprisonment. The seven were later released on bail. The verdict has evoked widespread disappointment, with Union ministers Moily and Ramesh describing the verdict as “very unsatisfactory". Moily said the government would push for stricter laws to ensure that such incidents do not happen again. Read the full report here.
Source: HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times, New Delhi
