The Madhya Pradesh government came on the backfoot on Tuesday and issued orders to remove Swaraj Puri as member of grievance redressal authority (Madhya Pradesh Narmada projects) after the media questioned his post retirement appointment pointing out that he was the Bhopal superintendent of police and had driven
former Union Carbide chief Warren Anderson to the airport in an official car and made good his escape in the state government aircraft in December 1984.
The Madhya Pradesh minister for Bhopal gas tragedy relief and rehabilitation Babulal Gaur made this announcement at a press conference. He confirmed that Mr Puri was also holding the rank of a minister of state. Mr Puri has now been divested of this status, he said.
The demand for Mr Puri’s removal came up at a press conference addressed by former chief minister sunderlal Patwa and state BJP president Prabhat Jha.
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Money for victims to be reconsidered
age correspondent
New Delhi
June 15: Causing no further delay in addressing the grievances of the Bhopal gas tragedy victims, the reconstituted GoM on the Bhopal gas tragedy is expected to consider fresh compensation for the victims on similar lines as the relief provided to the 1984 Sikh riots victims, which was made under a budgetary provision.
The GoM has been asked to submit its final report in 10 days.
The move to provide central financial assistance in the 26-year-old Bhopal case is being considered keeping in view the brewing discontent amongst the victims’ families who are enraged over the light punishment to the guilty.
Meanwhile, home minister P. Chidambaram, who heads the GoM, said that they would meet on Friday.