Rs 3 crore earmarked for treatment of gas-affected cancer patients

Bhopal, Feb 4 (UNI) The amount earmarked for the medical treatment of cancer patients of the Bhopal gas tragedy has been increased by more than four folds from Rs 70 lakh to Rs three crore in the next financial year.

This was informed during a meeting of the departmental advisory committee of the gas relief department. Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Babulal Gaur presided over the meeting.

Members of the committee including MLAs Bhaktapal Singh and Phoolsingh Mewada, Principal Secretary (Gas relief) M M Upadhyaya, Director (Gas Relief) M K Varshney and several officers were present on the occasion.

The meeting decided to pursue strongly with the Centre the case regarding the announcement of the remaining 20 wards of Bhopal as gas-affected and distribution of the relief amount, an official release said here today.

A demand of Rs 7.63 crore has been placed before the Centre for these wards.

Mr Gaur informed that a high-power committee -- headed by Union Human Resources Minister Arjun Singh -- constituted for the gas affected had already considered remaining 20 wards as the gas-affected.

Gas relief department CMO D P Agrawal informed that Rs 6.15 crore had been spent for free medical treatment of gas-affected cancer patients so far. A provision of Rs three crore was being made in the next financial year's budget.

Besides, a proposal of Rs 2 crore is being sent to the Centre as per the recommendations made by the Indian Council of Medical Research and renowned scientists of the country to set up 24 research projects regarding scientific study of disastrous effect of gas on the health of the people.

Of these seven projects, respiratory system, ophthalmology, mental diseases, epidemiological study, cyrogemetic, cancer and immunology had already been started.

Moreover, Rs 90 lakh had been spent on the study of chemical waste and its collection so far. Out of this, Rs 10 lakh each had been paid to the IICT, NEERI and NGRI apart from Rs 60 lakh to M P Pollution Control Board, the release added.

UNI