Bhopal Gas Disaster commission calls for expediency

NK SINGH

Bhopal: Justice N. K. Singh who is heading the single-member judicial commission inquiring into the Bhopal gas leak disaster, on Friday appealed to participating parties, not to upon valuable time of the commission by making inter-locatory applications without much substance. "Such a course of action, if continued indefinitely, is likely to defeat or delay the main object of this commission," he remarked. Monetary compensation, he said, was a poor substitute for the loss of lives and whatever had to be done should be done as expeditiously as possible.

Before adjourning the proceedings of the commission till May 15. Justice Singh also warned that constant vigilance would be necessary for a considerable period to ensure that any section of people, "particularly those in the ruling echelon", do not do anything which prima facie appears to be improper, unjust or unpalatable.

The commission also ordered that three members of the Delhi Science Forum, who were on Thursday physically prevented by the Union Carbide management from inspecting certain areas of the pesticides plant, should be allowed to visit it along with a Government photographer and the plant management should co-operate with them.

Earlier, the Union Carbide counsel tried to delay the court proceedings by involving it in procedural wrangles. Initially, Union Carbide refused to furnish the documents demanded by the Madhya Pradesh Government and 'other parties. Referring to the fact that the commission is at present not empowered to inquire into manufacturing secrets, the Union Carbide counsel claimed that the company could not be directed to divulge its manufacturing process.

Later when the commission directed it to submit a detailed reply stating its position in respect of each document demanded by other parties, the counsel maintained that most of the documents had been seized by the CBI.

Union Carbide also sought a total gag on the press. "Nothing should be published in the press and magazines Bhopal on the gas tragedy unless permission is obtained from the commission," said an application moved by the company before the Singh commission.

PTI adds: Justice N. K. Singh, enquiring into the Bhopal gas tragedy, on Friday, directed that samples of the toxic methyl iso-cyanate gas which leaked from a tank of the Union Carbide plant here early last December, be transported to the National Chemical Laboratory, Pune and kept there till further directions.

April 20, 1985

Indian Express