The fate of the Bhopal gas tragedy case is perched precariously on the edge of a precipice in the Supreme Court.
On September 20, the government’s law officers sounded unsure if the Centre would want to pursue a curative plea to enhance the compensation awarded to victims. They sought time till October 11 to get “instructions”. The lack of a clear stand by the Union before a Bench led by Justice S.K. Kaul conveys a sea change in the attitude of the government.
When the Union Government filed the curative petition in November 2010, it had clearly declared itself as “the parens patriae (protector) of the victims of the world's largest industrial disaster — the Bhopal gas tragedy”. The curative plea sought additional funds of over ₹7,400 crore over and above the $470 million already paid by Union Carbide.
