Rs 71.28 crores additional compensation for Bhopal victims

New Delhi, Nov 18 (PTI) Indian Government Thursday night
approved additional compensation of Rs 71.28 crore for the
victims of 1984 Bhopal gas leak tragedy, caused by the leakage
of Methyl Isocyanate.
The Union Cabinet, at a meeting chaired by Indian Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh, approved the recommendations of the
Group of Ministers (GoM) on the Bhopal gas leak disaster of
1984 in the matter of payment of ex-gratia to the victims.
The approval will facilitate payment of ex-gratia of Rs
five lakh each to additional 1,703 victims with permanent
disability, and Rs one lakh ex-gratia to 1,783 persons with
temporary disability. The amount will be paid after adjustment
of compensation already received by these victims.
It also paves the way for payment of ex-gratia of Rs five
lakh each to 42 victims of 'injury of utmost severity' after
adjustment of compensation amount already received by them.
This ex-gratia amount is in addition to Rs 669 crore
which the government has already provided for payment to the
specified categories of Bhopal gas victims as per its decision
in June this year.
The government had constituted the GoM in May this year
to examine all the issues relating to Bhopal gas leak
disaster, including remediation measures, and make appropriate
recommendations regarding relief and rehabilitation of the
victims and their families.