Bhopal gas tragedy: SC to hear Centre's plea for additional Rs 7,844 cr fund

New Delhi: A five-judge bench of the Supreme Court is scheduled to Tuesday hear the Centre's plea seeking Rs 7,844 crore as an additional fund from successor firms of US-based Union Carbide Corporation, now owned by Dow Chemicals, for giving compensation to victims of 1984 Bhopal Gas tragedy.

The bench, comprising Justices Arun Mishra, Indira Banerjee, Vineet Saran, M R Shah and S Ravindra Bhat, will hear the curative petition filed by the Centre for enhanced compensation for the victims.

The Centre is seeking a direction to Union Carbide and other firms for Rs 7,844 crore additional amount over and above the earlier settlement amount of USD 470 million for paying compensation to the gas tragedy victims. Over 3,000 people had died in the tragedy due to the release of methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas.

The Union Carbide Corporation (UCC) gave a compensation of USD 470 million (Rs 715 crore) after the toxic gas leak from the Union Carbide factory on the intervening night of December 2-3, 1984 killed over 3,000 people and affected 1.02 lakh more.