Bhopal gas leak: Former Collector, SP get notice

Bhopal, Nov 26: The

Poisonous Gas Leak Inquiry Commission, which is mandated to probe the gas tragedy afresh, on Monday issued notices to the then Collector Moti Singh and then SP Swaraj Puri of Bhopal to record their statements on December 20 in connection with the 1984 gas tragedy.

Earlier, the Commission headed by retired Justice S L Kochhar had sent a notice to the then Town Inspector Surendra Singh Thakur to record his statement today. However, the police were unable to serve the notice on him following which the Chairman asked the Jabalpur SP to probe as to why the notice was not served on Thakur.

The Commission has directed the officials to ensure his presence on December 20 along with the then Collector and SP.

Meanwhile, in response to queries posed to them, the authorities concerned have informed the Commission that at the time of granting licence to Union Carbide, T A Pai was the Union Industries Minister but he was no more, sources said.

They further informed that R V Raman was the Commerce and Industries Secretary at that time but his current address was not yet made available to the Commission.

Kochhar directed the Centre to find out Raman's residential address, phone number and e-mail address to ensure his presence before the panel.

Thousands of people were killed and lakhs maimed following leak of a poisonous gas from the Union Carbide plant in Bhopal on the intervening nights of December 2-3 in 1984.

PTI