- Affidavit presented by government in Bhopal gas tragedy case
Bhopal: In a significant development in the Bhopal gas tragedy case, the Madhya Pradesh government has informed the Jabalpur High Court that the digitization of medical records for victims will be completed within six months. This announcement comes after the court’s strong criticism of the slow pace of digitization.
The government’s affidavit, presented before the double bench of Chief Justice Suresh Kumar Kait and Justice Vivek Jain, detailed the progress. With the installation of additional machines, 20,000 pages are now being digitized daily, accelerating the process significantly. The estimated 1.7 million pages are expected to be digitized within six months.
Previously, the government had cited the age of pre-2014 records, claiming only 3,000 pages could be scanned daily, estimating a completion time of 550 days. The court responded sharply, expressing concerns about the government’s commitment. Subsequently, the High Court directed the Health and Family Welfare Secretary and the BMHRC Director to formulate a comprehensive digitization plan.
This digitization effort follows a 2012 Supreme Court ruling that issued 20 directives concerning the treatment and rehabilitation of Bhopal gas victims. A monitoring committee was established to oversee implementation and submit quarterly reports to the High Court, which then issues necessary guidelines to the Central and State Governments. The current proceedings relate to a petition and a subsequent contempt petition filed in 2015, alleging non-compliance with the monitoring committee’s recommendations. Advocate Anshuman Singh served as amicus curiae in the case. The next hearing is scheduled for February 22nd.
