SC rejects application seeking compensation to Bhopal Gas victims

New Delhi, May 4 (UNI) The Supreme Court today dismissed an application seeking an announcement of compensation for the victims of the Bhopal Gas tragedy in December 1984, which claimed about 3,000 lives.

A Bench comprising Justices C K Thakker and H S Bedi dismissed the application filed by Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Udyog Sangathan (BGPMUS) holding that the 1989 settlement with the US-based Union Carbide Corporation (UCC) and the Central Government was arrived at with the intervention of a five-judge constitution Bench headed by then Chief Justice of India (CJI) R S Pathak and a two-judge Bench cannot reopen and review the judgement of a larger Bench.

Over 3,000 residents of Bhopal were killed due to the leakage of poisonous gas from the UCC premises in December 1984, and thousand others were seriously affected and hunderds of the victims became disabled for life.

The total amount of compensation was about 470 million dollars which according to the petitioner was meagre as compared to the tragedy and the loss of lives and limbs of the residents of Bhopal due to the leakage of poisonous gas and the US based company cannot be allowed to get away by paying such an insignificant compensation to the victims.

The petitioner also contended that the amount of compensation must be enhanced considerably to do justice to the innocent victims most of whom belonged to the weaker sections of society.

The court, however, did not agree and said the lapse of 18 years when the settlement was arrived at and the date of filing of this application cannot be lost sight of.

Justice Pathak was later elevated as the judge of the International Court of Justice.

UNI