New Delhi: The Supreme Court has dismissed a petition asking for more compensation for the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy victims.
A petition by the Bhopal Gas Mahila Pidita Sangh had claimed that more people than originally believed had died in the tragedy so more compensation should be given to the victims.
The apex court has also contested the number of victims put at around 15,000 by the petitioner. SC also said that the people who have been adversely affected by the tragedy should approach the tribunal in Bhopal.
The compensation amount paid to the victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy in 1984 was $478 million (approx 1,955 crore) and the number of people dead was put at 3000.
Last month the Centre had requested the SC to close down the compensation claims of over 14,000 victims after the efforts to trace them failed.
The Additional Solicitor General Amarender Saran said that about 14,000 claimants could not be traced despite best efforts to find them and, therefore, their claims estimated to be worth Rs 50 crore should be closed down.
He said the Centre had widely publicised their named through newspapers and notices to their last known address.
Welfare Commissioner, Bhopal said that out of the Rs 1,542 crore fixed for payment of compensation to 5,72.029 vitims, till date Rs 1,491.23 crore has been disbursed to 5,56,850 victims.
There were 17,222 victims yet to get the compensation. However, the Additional Solicitor General had claimed that were only 14,000 odd victims left but they were not traceable.
On the night of December 2-3, 1984, about 27 tons of the deadly Methyl Isocyanate leaked from the Union Carbide plant in Bhopal killing thousands and injuring many more.
(With inputs from Ashok Bagariya)
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