On the 26th anniversary of the Bhopal gas leak tragedy, Centre filed a curative petition in the Supreme Court seeking enhancement of compensation for the victims. In its petition, government has asked the apex court to enhance the compensation package awarded by it for the victims from Rs 750 crore to Rs 7,700 crore.
The Government said that the number of victims and the degree of environmental damage wasn't assessed correctly in the past. The Government also sought payment from the company, Union Carbide asking the court to make The Dow Chemical's Union Carbide an ever ready party in the case.
On the night of Dec 2-3, 1984, 40 tonnes of methyl isocyanate gas seeped out from the now defunct Union Carbide plant, catching people in their sleep. It killed people instantly, and slowly over the years. It also affected 100,000 people that night and estimates are than 500,000 still continue to suffer in myriad ways.
On June 7 this year, a verdict by a Bhopal court held the eight accused guilty only of criminal negligence and sentenced them to two years imprisonment. All of them are out on bail now.
The court also imposed a fine of Rs 100,000 on the eight, including Keshub Mahindra, who then headed the Union Carbide India Ltd (UCIL).
And Warren Anderson, former chairman of Union Carbide Corp, the American parent company, continues to abscond and is in the US.
The union government has made it clear they are not going to raise the issue in US courts as it is already pursuing the same in India.