SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
R.S. Pathak, CJI., E.S. Venkataramiah, Ranganath Misra, M.N. Venkatachaliah and N.D. Ojha, JJ.
Union Carbide Corporation
v.
Union of India and others
C. A. Nos. 3187-88 of 1988 from Order of the M. P. High Court passed in Civil Revision No. 26 of 1988
Decided on : 14/15-2-1988
ORDER
DATED FEBRUARY 14, 1989
1. Having given our careful consideration for these several days to the facts and circumstances of the case placed before us by the parties in these proceedings, including the pleadings of the parties, the mass of data placed before us, the material relating to the proceedings in the Courts in the United States of America, the offers and counter-offers made between the parties at different stages during the various proceedings, as well as the complex issues of law and fact raised before us and the submissions made thereon, and in particular the enormity of human suffering occasioned by the Bhopal Gas disaster and the pressing urgency to provide immediate and substantial relief to victims of the disaster, we are of opinion that the case is pre-eminently fit for an overall settlement between the parties covering all litigations, claims, rights and liabilities related to and arising out of the disaster and we hold it just, equitable and reasonable to pass the following order:
We order:
(1) The Union Carbide Corporation shall pay a sum of U. S. Dollars 470 millions (Four hundred and seventy millions) to the Union of India in full settlement of all claims, rights and liabilities related to and arising out of the Bhopal Gas disaster.
(2) The aforesaid sum shall be paid by the Union Carbide Corporation to the Union of India on or before March 31, 1989.
(3) To enable the effectuation of the settlement, all civil proceedings related to and arising out of the Bhopal Gas disaster shall hereby stand transferred to this Court and shall stand concluded in terms of the settlement, and all criminal proceedings related to and arising out of the disaster shall stand quashed wherever these may be pending.
A memorandum of settlement shall be filed before us tomorrow setting forth all the details of the settlement to enable consequential directions, if any, to issue.
2. We may record that we are deeply indebted to learned counsel for the parties for the dedicated assistance and the sincere co-operation they have offered to the Court during the hearing of the case and for the manifest reasonableness they have shown in accepting the terms of settlement suggested by this Court.
ORDER
DATED FEBRUARY 15, 1989
1. Having heard learned counsel for the parties, and having taken into account the written memorandum filed by them, We make the following order further to our order dated February 14, 1989 which shall be read with and subject to this order:
(1) Union Carbide India Ltd., which is already a party in numerous suits filed in the District Court at Bhopal, and which have been stayed by an order dated December 31, 1985 of the District Court Bhopal, is joined as a necessary party in order to effectuate the terms and conditions of our order dated February 14, 1989 as supplemented by this order.
(2) Pursuant to the order passed on February 14, 1989 the payment of the sum of U. S. Dollars 470 Millions (four hundred and seventy millions) directed by the Court to be paid on or before March 31, 1989 will be made in the manner following:
(a) A sum of U. S, Dollars 425 Millions (four hundred and twenty-five millions) shall be paid on or before March 23, 1989 by Union Carbide Corporation to the Union of India, less U. S Dollars 5 millions already paid by the Union Carbide Corporation pursuant to the order dated June 7, 1985 of Judge Keenan in the Court proceedings taken in the United States of America.
(b) Union Carbide India Ltd. will pay on or before March 23, 1989 to the Union of India the rupee equivalent of U. S. Dollars 45 millions (forty-five millions) at the exchange rate prevailing at the date of payment.
(c) The aforesaid payments shall be made to the Union of India as claimant and for the benefit of all victims of the Bhopal Gas disaster under the Bhopal Gas Leak Disaster (Registration and Processing of Claims) Scheme, 1985 and not as fines, penalties, or punitive damages.
(3) Upon full payment of the sum referred to in paragraph 2 above:
(
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