Pay ordered to Bhopal victims

NEW DELHI – India’s supreme court has ordered the government to disburse hundreds of millions of dollars paid by Union Carbide as compensation for the victims of a 1984 gas leak at its plant in Bhopal that killed thousands, news reports said yesterday.

The gas leak on December 3, 1984, in central Madhya Pradesh state killed an estimated 12 000 people – in one of the world’s worst industrial accidents. More that 20 000 people were injured.Union Carbide, which was bought by Dow Chemical Co three years ago, paid US$470 million compensation under a settlement with the Indian government in 1989.But only a part of that money was handed out to the victims.The rest, held in a special account by the central bank and managed by a government-appointed Welfare Commissioner, has since grown to about 15 billion rupees (US$330 million) because of the rupee’s depreciation and interest accruals over the years, The Indian Express newspaper reported.On Monday, the Supreme Court ordered the government to distribute the remaining funds to surviving victims and families of the dead.The victims have demanded a review of the settlement, claiming that if the accident had happened in the United States the payout would have been much higher.They have also demanded that Dow Chemical take up the liability, although the company has said it was not involved in the tragedy and that it considers the original settlement to be final.The Indian government is also pursuing criminal charges against Warren Anderson, who headed Union Carbide at the time of the gas leak and now lives in the United States.In the accident, toxic methyl isocyanate gas leaked from Union Carbide’s pesticide plant, leading to the painful deaths and contaminating the local water and soil.Union Carbide, which had a 50,9 percent stake in the plant, accepted moral responsibility for the disaster, but blamed the disaster on sabotage by a disgruntled employee.- Nampa-APMore that 20 000 people were injured.Union Carbide, which was bought by Dow Chemical Co three years ago, paid US$470 million compensation under a settlement with the Indian government in 1989.But only a part of that money was handed out to the victims.The rest, held in a special account by the central bank and managed by a government-appointed Welfare Commissioner, has since grown to about 15 billion rupees (US$330 million) because of the rupee’s depreciation and interest accruals over the years, The Indian Express newspaper reported.On Monday, the Supreme Court ordered the government to distribute the remaining funds to surviving victims and families of the dead.The victims have demanded a review of the settlement, claiming that if the accident had happened in the United States the payout would have been much higher.They have also demanded that Dow Chemical take up the liability, although the company has said it was not involved in the tragedy and that it considers the original settlement to be final.The Indian government is also pursuing criminal charges against Warren Anderson, who headed Union Carbide at the time of the gas leak and now lives in the United States.In the accident, toxic methyl isocyanate gas leaked from Union Carbide’s pesticide plant, leading to the painful deaths and contaminating the local water and soil.Union Carbide, which had a 50,9 percent stake in the plant, accepted moral responsibility for the disaster, but blamed the disaster on sabotage by a disgruntled employee.- Nampa-AP