Memorial for Bhopal gas victims soon: Gaur

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June 22, 2005 17:30 IST

The Madhya Pradesh government will construct a memorial for the Bhopal gas tragedy victims.

The memorial will display rare photographs of the incident and document personal history of every affected person, Chief Minister Babulal Gaur said on Wednesday.

"The memorial will be constructed on 66-acre land," Gaur said.

The chief minister was talking to reporters after reviewing the progress of temporary containment of hazardous waste stored at the Union Carbide factory in Bhopal.

Also see: Bhopal Gas Tragedy -- Complete coverage

"The memorial will be of international standards and similar to that built in Hiroshima," he said, adding that, "personal history of every gas victim will be displayed. Besides details of those killed on the fateful day, it will also include those receiving medical aid till date."

He claimed that constant pressure and logical arguments given by the state had prompted the Centre to include people in remaining 20 wards of Bhopal in the list of gas victims.

Asked when distribution of compensation will start for the remaining 20 wards, he said, "The matter is being considered by the Centre."

On December 3, 1984 methyl isocynate gas leaked from the Union Carbide factory in Bhopal killing at least 10,000 people.

Thousands of victims of one of the worst industrial disasters still await compensation from the Centre. Union Carbide had paid $470 million in compensation under a settlement with India in 1989. But only part of that amount has reached the victims.

The company said the tragedy was due to sabotage by a disgruntled employee and not shoddy safety standards or faulty plant design, as claimed by many activists.

Also read:
Bhopal tragedy: Images
Bhopal tragedy: The story so far
Bhopal gas tragedy victims end fast
US students demand justice for Bhopal gas victims

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