Bhopal Gas Tragedy: Centre pulled up for filing incomplete report on BMHRC facilities

Bhopal Gas Tragedy: Centre pulled up for filing incomplete report on BMHRC facilities

The Chief Justice has directed Union of India to file compliance report on recommendations made by monitoring committee by January 10, 2021.

Staff ReporterUpdated: Tuesday, December 21, 2021, 11:37 PM IST
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BHOPAL (Madhya Pradesh): The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Tuesday reprimanded the central government for filing an inadequate and incomplete report on the status of medical treatment available at Bhopal Memorial Hospital & Research Centre (BMHRC), set up for those affected by 1984 Union Carbide disaster.

The Chief Justice has also sought 100 per cent compliance on all inadequacies pointed out by†Supreme Court appointed monitoring committee. The Chief Justice has directed Union of India to file compliance report on recommendations made by monitoring committee by January 10, 2021.

During the hearing on Tuesday, the petitioners' counsel Naman Nagarath stated that the December 2021 affidavit filed by the BMHRC director has not addressed a single concern raised by the monitoring committee in its 16th, 17th and 18th quarterly reports. These reports have shown the pathetic state of medical care at the 350-bed super specialty hospital being run by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

The report also observed that no progress has been made towards the improvement in functioning of BMHRC after its control has been entrusted to ICMR. Posts of Professors and Associate Professors are vacant for last 10 years. The departments of nephrology, neurology, gastro-medicine, surgical oncology are non-functional in absence of specialist doctors. Worse, several crucial medicines and much needed equipment have not been procured.

Bhopal Group for Information & Action Rachna Dhingra who also was present in the court and presented facts regarding the deteriorating condition of BMHRC has sought directions in improving its condition. She expressed hope that things will change for better and commended monitoring committee for presenting status before Madhya Pradesh High Court.

In 1998, Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Udyog Sangathan and Bhopal Group for Information and Action had moved Supreme Court to seek appropriate and adequate medical care and research facilities for Bhopal gas victims. In 2004, the Supreme Court appointed monitoring committee to apprise them of medical care facilities at hospitals being run by the state and central government. In 2012, the Supreme Court transferred the matter to MP High Court to oversee this crucial issue.

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