A court in Bhopal (central India) today said the eight defendants guilty of the 1984 toxic leak from the plant of Union Carbide Company in that city , considered by many the worst industrial disaster in history.
Judge P. Mohan Tiwari condemned them "causing death through negligence" and "culpable homicide not degree murder," although the amounts of penalties, up to two years, according to various media, will be known later.
Victims' associations, which have already announced that they will appeal the ruling, have called the verdict "scam."
Among those convicted are the most responsible at the time of the Indian subsidiary company, Mahindra Keshub , and other senior officials at the time, every citizen of India.
was not immediately clear if the ruling affects U.S. Warren Anderson, former chairman of Union Carbide, who is a fugitive from justice india and did not appear at the hearings in his case, which began 23 years ago. 00.05
At the December 3, 1984, some forty metisocianato tons from the pesticide plant in the city of Union Carbide filled the air from nearby neighborhoods with devastating effects.
Some 3,000 people died immediately, according to the Supreme Court of India, and since then, according to several medical organizations, 25,000 people have died, victims of the aftermath of the escape or subsequent pollution in the area.
Victims' associations today described the judge's decision as a "total injustice " and "a scam" and announced they would appeal the ruling to a higher court, seeking greater penalties.
"The most you can get two years in prison and a fine of 5000 rupees (about $ 105) for bail. It was a blow to everyone and a shameful decision, "he told Efe telephone activist Rashida Bee, the association Chingari.
The court has considered during the more than two decades of trial testimony from 178 prosecution witnesses and eight of the defense, and has produced a total of 3,008 documents.
.
0 comments:
Post a Comment