Gas Tragedy: No info on antidote, says accused

Bhopal, Mar 3 (UNI) The toxic nature of the gas, being produced at Union Carbide India Ltd (UCIL) prior to the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, was made known to the Centre and state governments but no information was made available regarding any antidote.

This detail was furnished today by then UCIL MD Vijay Gokhale, an accused, while deposing before Chief Judicial Magistrate A K Gupta's court, which is hearing the criminal case pertaining to the world's worst industrial disaster.

Today was the third consecutive day of hearings and the next dates were fixed as April 17, 18 and 19.

All eight prime accused, including the then UCIL chairman Keshav Mahindra, have had their statements recorded.

On the intervening night of December 2-3, 1984, thousands died after inhaling methyl isocyanate while several lakh persons continue to suffer the deleterious effect of inhaling the deadly vapours.

UNI SD-AC TM VC1913