Commission for gas victims: Transparency in working must (Editorial)
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02/06/2008
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Central Chronicle (Bhopal)
Central government has agreed to establish a Commission having special rights for Bhopal gas victims. Proposed commission would consider over different aspects of rehabilitation with consent of government of MP. It is a big achievement for the gas victims who had been staging dharna at Jantar Mantar in national capital Delhi for two months. Though all the three organisations of gas victims are not satisfied only with the establishment of the Commission, but it would prove a better platform to consider over their problems. Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh himself has called a meeting of related ministries. State Minister in Prime Minister's office, Prithviraj Chouhan with the message of Dr Singh met with the gas victims. According to Chouhan, the state government has been told that it should prepare complete work plan of necessary fund for the rehabilitation of gas victims and send it to the central government. The Centre would consider over it sympathetically. It seems essential to present the main accused of gas victim, Anderson in country's court along with removal of chemical waste from affected areas and declaring the remaining 20 wards as gas hit. Specially the establishment of the Commission is necessary for Bhopal. But it is also essential that there should be transparency in this initiative because this tragedy which has become a black spot for humanity, three generations are bearing its effects. Rehabilitation and compensation are trivial things before the pain of gas victims but it is also true that it would not be sufficient for their welfare and better health. Ground water of half part of Bhopal is polluted and victim families are falling prey to diseases.