Gas Tragedy: SC to get 1 lakh pleas

Bhopal, Oct 17 (UNI) One lakh people affected by the 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy would submit review petitions in the Supreme Court next month in support of a demand for more compensation.

Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Udyog Sangathan Convener Abdul Jabbar told reporters here today that his organisation and the Bhopal Gas Peedit Sangharsh Samiti submitted a plea in this regard on Saturday in the apex court.

''This will possibly be the first instance of its kind in the history of independent India against the Supreme Court's verdict.

This is due to the politico-judicial consciousness of the petitioners who are residents of 36 wards where compensation is to be distributed,'' he added.

Under a pact between the Government of India and Union Carbide, 470 million dollars were to be distributed among 1,02,000 affected and families of 3,000 deceased but the amount was actually distributed among 5,72,173 affected and families of 15,274 deceased, said Mr Jabbar.

On May 3, 2007, the apex court rejected a plea -- by organisations working for the affected -- urging five-fold increase of compensation.

On the intervening night of December two and three, 1984, methyl isocyanate leaked out of the now-closed Union Carbide factory here killing thousands. Lakhs are still suffering the deleterious effects of inhaling the deadly vapours.

UNI