US rejects action against Union Carbide for Bhopal gas tragedy

Lalit K Jha
Washington, June 8 (PTI) The US on Tuesday rejected
taking any action against the Union Carbide company for the
world's worst industrial disaster that had left over 15,000
people dead and hoped the Indian court verdict in the Bhopal
gas tragedy case would bring "closure to the victims".
"With respect to Bhopal, obviously that was one of
the greatest industrial tragedies and industrial accidents in
human history.
"And let me just say that we hope that this verdict
today helps to bring some closure to the victims and their
families," Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central
Asia, Robert Blake, told reporters at a news conference here.
"But I don't expect this verdict to reopen any new,
you know, inquiries or anything like that.
"On the contrary, we hope that this is going to help
to bring closure," Blake told foreign reporters in response to
a question.
Responding to a specific question on the Bhopal gas
tragedy and the court's decisions, Blake said this is an
internal matter of India.
Responding to a similar question at another news
briefing, the State Department spokesman, P J Crowley said:
"This tragedy happened 26 years ago, and it was a terrible
tragedy, one of the worst industrial accidents in human
history, and we certainly hope that the verdict brings some
closure to the families of the victims of this tragedy."
Crowley hoped that this particular case "does not
inhibit - or the continuing expansion of economic, cultural,
and political ties between the two countries."
"We fully expect that this will not be the case," he
said.
"The Indian Parliament will have to make judgement on
the nuclear liabilities bill, but this criminal case should
have no relation to the liability legislation currently before
the parliament," Crowley said.
Nearly 26 years after the disaster that left more
than 15,000 dead, in central India's Bhopal city, former Union
Carbide India Chairman Keshub Mahindra and six others were
Monday convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment in a
judgement that came under attack from civil rights activists
and parties. PTI LKJ
RBT