'Dow Chemical says it is not liable for Bhopal'

Dow Chemical, the owner of Union Carbide factory in Bhopal from which toxic gas leaked killing thousands of people in 1984, has said it does not have any liability for the tragedy, a spokesman for the victims claimed in New York.

The victims' spokesman, Satinath Sarangi, told PTI that the company said it was not even responsible for cleaning up the site of the plant, which leaked the deadly gas.

A delegation, which included two women survivors of the gas tragedy, met Dow Chemical officials, including its Chairman William Stavropoulos, after a meeting of its shareholders on Thursday, he said.

Any comment from the company was not immediately available.
 
Stavropoulos,

according to Sarangi, claimed that Union Carbide faced no criminal charges and that the only outstanding charges were against Carbide's former chairman, Warren Anderson.

Among the various demands made by the delegation were that Dow Chemical must face criminal charges in India and release medical information relating to the toxic gases.

They also wanted the company to arrange for long-term medical monitoring and rehabilitation of the victims.

During the meeting of the shareholders of the company, about 50 persons including the two women survivors, demonstrated outside the headquarters carrying placards.