Press Statement
issued by
Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmchari Sangh
Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha
Bhopal Group for Information and Action
Bhopal ki Aawaaz

SUPREME COURT SAYS MONEY IS FOR SURVIVORS

The Supreme Court of India today gave a decision that the distribution of the balance of compensation amount of over Rs.1567 Crores on a pro-rata basis should commence from November 15, 2004. Five interim applications presented before the Supreme Court were dismissed.

Over 2000 survivors of the December ’84 Union Carbide disaster who had come from Bhopal for a rally at Jantar Mantar today welcomed the
decision of the Supreme Court with cheers and felicitated Mr. S Muralidhar who argued the matter on behalf of the survivors today. The rally was led by Rashida Bee, Champa Devi, Syed M Irfan and Shahid Noor.

The original Writ petition in this matter was filed by Rashida Bee, Champa Devi and 34 other survivors each representing the 36 municipal wards
declared by the Indian government to be affected by the disaster. Earlier on July 19, 2004 the Supreme Court had decided in favour of the petitioners who were represented by Mr. Muralidhar.

The Supreme Court approved the action plan submitted by the Welfare Commissioner according to which claimants would be paid the same amount they had earlier received as compensation. The application submitted by the BJP for distribution of compensation among the residents of the 20 un-affected wards was dismissed and the applicant was directed to submit the application before the High Court of Madhya Pradesh.

The application submitted by the State of Madhya Pradesh was dismissed and it was pointed out that the balance of compensation could only be utilized for distribution among the survivors of the disaster. In response to the application submitted by the Bhopal Memorial Hospital Trust for a share of the compensation sum, the Supreme Court directed that they submit their accounts of income and expenditure till date.

The Supreme Court dismissed the application filed by the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Udyog Sangathan and the Bhopal Gas Peedit Sangharsh Samiti by directing the Government of India to reply to the issues raised in their application.

Rashida Bee, Champa Devi Shukla
Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmchari Sangh

Syed M Irfan
Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha

Rachna Dhingra, Satinath Sarangi
Bhopal Group for Information and Action

Shahid Noor
Bhopal ki Aawaaz

Contact : 9826167369, 9811903172

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