போபால் விஷ வாயு கசிவு ஞாபகம் இருக்கிறதா?
1984 வருடம், Dec 2 விடியற் காலை, Methyl Isocyante என்னும் ரசாயனம் தயாரிக்கும ஆலையில் இருந்து விஷ வாயு வெளி ஏறியது
உலகத்தில் மிக பெரிய ரசாயன விபத்தான இதில் 2000 மேற்பட்ட பேர் உயிர் இழந்தனர்.
அப்போது 1987 வருடம் நிறுவனத்தின் மீது வழக்கு தொடர பட்டது
அப்போது இருந்து இப்போது வரை இன்னும் ஆரம்பிக்கவே இல்லை. மத்ய பிரதேசம் ஹை கோர்டில் இந்த வழக்கு ஆமை வேகத்தில் நடந்து வருகிறது. 37 முறை வாய்தா வாங்கி இந்த வழக்கு ஆரம்பிக்கவே இல்லை!!
நம் நாட்டில் தான் கோர்ட் எவ்வளவு வேகமாக வழக்குகளை நடத்தும்
என்று தெரியுமே. இதோ போபால் வழக்கின் முக்கிய நிகழ்வுகள்:
1 December 1987 | Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) files charge sheet against Warren Anderson, chairman of Union Carbide Corporation (UCC), and eleven other accused, including Union Carbide Corporation (USA), Union Carbide (Eastern) Hong Kong, and UCIL. Summons served on Anderson, accused #1 and UCC, accused #10 on charges of culpable homicide |
1 February 1992 | Bhopal trial court proclaimed UCC (USA) as an absconder and ordered UCC to present itself before the chief judicial magistrate (CJM) on 27/3/1992 |
22 May 1992 | The criminal case (R.T. No.2792/87) was committed to trial by the CJM, Bhopal, after separating 3 foreign accused of the 12 accused – namely Warren Anderson, Union Carbide Corporation-USA & Union Carbide (Eastern) Hongkong- who had been proclaimed as absconders on 1/2/1992. |
February 2001 | Union Carbide Corporation merges with The Dow Chemical Company and becomes 100% owned subsidiary of Dow |
February 26 2004 | Bhopal Group for information & Action files an application at the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in Bhopal in criminal case (R.T. No.2792/87) regarding issuing of Letter Rogatory for international judicial assistance from the United States Department of Justice to serve summon / notice / warrant upon the headquarters of Dow Chemical Company at Midland, Michigan, USA to produce absconding accused Union Carbide Corporation in the ongoing criminal case on the December 1984 gas disaster |
Survivor groups file application to summon Dow Chemical International Private Limited (DCIPL) to the CJM’s court | |
3September 2004 | DCIPL, a 100% owned subsidiary of Dow Chemical Company, files reply to BGPMUS & BGPSSS application at the CJM court |
10 September 2004 | Bhopal Group for Information & Action (BGIA) files additional submission to the CJM court |
6 January 2005 | Chief Judicial Magistrate passes an order to issue summons against Dow Chemical Company, Midland USA, and not against DCIPL, India |
February 2005 | Dow Chemical International Private Limited files an application at M.P. High court seeking quashing of the CJM order dated January 6, 2005. (Case No. MCRC 1377/2005 filed in MP High Court) |
17 March 2005 | High Court Judge (Mr. Rakesh Saxena) grants stay on the summons against Dow Chemical Company and lists the matter for April 27, 2005 |
24 March 2005 | BGIA , BGPSSS & BGPMUS served notices and the stay was granted even before all respondents could be present |
27 April 2005 | Stay granted vide order dated March 17, 2005 extended till next date and case was to be listed in July, 2005. This order was given by Justice U C Maheswari |
8 July 2005 | The stay order continues. Order passed by Justice Ajit Singh |
18 August 2005 | Notices to be issued again to all applicants within a week and the stay order to stay as order by Ajit Singh. No notices were every served to the applicants. |
15 February 2006 | Judge A.K. Shrivastav continued the stay but asked the matter to be listed after four weeks for final hearing. |
2006 | The case is listed several times for final hearing as per the MP High Court website but the final hearing has not taken place till July 2012. The case has come to the following judges for final hearings Sugandhilal Jain, Suresh Chandra Sinho, P K. Jaiswal, U C Maheshwari, M A Siddiqui, Rakesh Saxena, Tarun Kumar Kaushal, G S Solanki, N K Gupta, R C Mishra |
17 September 2009 | Bhopal Group for Information and Action files an application for urgent hearing |
21 June 2010 | GOM meeting held following decision regarding criminal complaint. The GOM stipulates that time frame for pursuing this would be August 14, 2010. Ministry of Law and Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals on the advice of Attorney General would move on this matter. “Separately, CJM Bhopal issued summons on 6.1.2005 to Dow Chemicals Company, US. Subsequently the company filed an appeal in the High Court and on 17.3.2005, the High Court stayed the order issuing summons. The liability of Dow Chemicals Company is being contested in these and other proceedings by the said company. It is essential that the question of liability of Dow Chemicals Company should be first settled before any proceedings can be taken against the company. Hence, GOM recommends that Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers and CBI may be directed to file appropriate applications/motions before the Courts concerned and request the courts, especially the High Court to expeditiously decide the question of liability of Dow Chemicals Company and/or any other successor to UCC/UCIL. Once this question is decided the various legal proceedings involving Dow Chemicals Company and any other person/company found liable can be taken forward.” |
இந்த நூற்றாண்டில் தீர்ப்பு வருமா என்று சந்தேகமே
இப்படி ஒரு விபத்து அமெரிக்காவில் நிகழ்ந்து இருந்தால், இப்படி விட்டு இருப்பார்களா
இந்த நூற்றாண்டில் தீர்ப்பு வருமா என்று சந்தேகமே
இப்படி ஒரு விபத்து அமெரிக்காவில் நிகழ்ந்து இருந்தால், இப்படி விட்டு இருப்பார்களா
நன்றி:Down To Earth