Bhopal tragedy:SC to decide tomorrow on the UCC assets for hospita

New Delhi, July 26 (UNI) The Supreme Court will decide tomorrow whether the amount of about Rs 57 crore collected through the sale of the assets of Union Carbide Corporation (UCC) should be released to a hospital trust set up for the treatment of the victims of the Bhopal gas leak tragedy.

The trust, headed by former Chief Justice of India A M Ahmedi, has moved an application for release of the amount, lying with the court of chief judicial magistrate, Bhopal, on the plea that it was required to improve the treatment facilities at the hospital.

The application is being, however, opposed by the Mahila Gas Pidit Sangathan on the grounds that there has been bungling of funds and that the trust accounts had not been audited since 1998.

The apex court will also hear an application filed by the Sanghthan seeking to quash the settlement made with the UCC before the five judge constitution bench headed by the then chief justice of India R S Pathak as the compensation amount of 447 miilion dollars is ''quite meagre and insignificant'', according to the petitioner, keeping in view the loss of life and property in the mishap.

More than 3000 people died and thousands were infected by the leak of poisnous gas from UCC on December 4, 1984.

The chairman of UCC Warren Anderson has since been declared an absconder by the Bhopal court.

The court had earlier indicated that the issue of reopening the settlement with UCC would have to be referred to Constitution bench.

UNI AKS/SC YA PM2006