Rs 71cr additional compensation for Bhopal victims

Government on Thursday night approved additional compensation of Rs 71.28 crore for the victims of the Bhopal gas leak tragedy.

The Union Cabinet, at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, approved the recommendations of the Group of Ministers 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 5 lakh each to additional 1,703 victims with permanent disability, and Rs 1 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 5 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.