PM asks panel on Bhopal gas disaster to report in 10 days

Facing flak from both within and outside the ruling alliance, the Congress Party that heads the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the centre has sought an early report from the group of ministers looking into the Bhopal gas tragedy as a way out.
 
Prime minister Manmohan Singh has directed the group of ministers headed by home minister P Chidambaram to report on the options and remedies available to the government in the light of the recent court judgement on the Bhopal gas disaster in 10 days.

"The GOM, constituted to look into all issues relating to the Bhopal gas leak disaster, may meet immediately to take stock of the situation arising out of the recent court judgement," the prime minister's office said in a statement today.

The GoM is expected to consider making a fresh request to extradite Warren Anderson, former chairman of the American parent company Union Carbide Corp responsible for the Bhopal gas tragedy.

The United States is also reported to have veered round to the view of allowing deportation of former head of Union Carbide Corp to stand trial in India.

However, it is still uncertain whether the US will allow deportation of Anderson who is now too old to stand trail. The US administration is also reportedly against reopening the Bhopal gas leak case.

Anderson was flown out of India by the government of the Congress Party because of the law and order situation in Bhopal prevailing at that time.