PM asks GoM on Bhopal gas disaster to meet immediately

New Delhi, June 14 (ANI): Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on Monday asked the Group of Ministers (GoM) on Bhopal gas tragedy to meet immediately to take stock of the situation.

The GoM, headed by Home Minister P Chidambaram has also been asked to submit a report within ten days.

"The Prime Minister has directed that the GoM constituted to look into all issues relating to the Bhopal gas disaster, may meet immediately to take stock of the situation arising out of the recent court judgement to assess the options and remedies available to the government on the various issues involved and to report to the Cabinet within ten days," a PMO spokesperson said.

The GoM was reconstituted last week to go into a range of issues including the relief and rehabilitation of victims and their families.

A District Magistrate's court in Bhopal had on June 7 convicted all eight accused on grounds of negligence under Section 304 (a) for the tragedy.

The court also granted bail to seven of the eight accused and released them on submission of a bond and a surety of Rs 25,000 each.

The eight accused are Keshub Mahendra, Vijay Gokhle, Kishore Kamdar, J Mukund, S P Choudhary, K V Shetty and S I Qureshi and R B Roy Choudhary.

Out of the accused R B Roy Choudhary, then former Assistant Works Manager Union Carbide India Ltd (UCIL), Mumbai, died during the trial.

Anderson, the chairman of Union Carbide Worldwide, has been designated an absconder. (ANI)