Bhopal gas tragedy: Judge recuses, hearing adjourned

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 28

Hearing on the Centre’s petition seeking additional compensation of Rs 7,844 crore from Dow Chemicals (successor of US company Union Carbide) could not take off in the Supreme Court as Justice Ravindra Bhat recused himself from the case.

More than 3,000 persons were killed in the worst industrial tragedy due to the release of methyl isocyanate gas on the intervening night of December 2 and 3 in 1984 at a pesticide plant of Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) in Bhopal. More than 1 lakh persons were affected by the tragedy. The survivors had been fighting a protracted legal battle for adequate compensation and medical treatment of diseases caused by methyl isocyanate gas.

Under a settlement reached with the Government of India, the company paid an amount of $470 million in 1989 towards compensation for the victims. In December 2010, the Centre filed a curative petition in the top court for enhancing the compensation.

As the five-judge Bench assembled, Justice Arun Mishra, who headed it, said Justice Bhat has a difficulty in hearing the matter.

“Let’s wait till evening today. Let’s wait for the CJI’s order on whether we will hear it in some other combination. We will get to know,” Justice Mishra said, asking the parties to come on Wednesday. The other three judges on the Bench are Justice Indira Banerjee, Justice Vineet Saran and Justice MR Shah.