Supreme Court order dated July 19 2004 directed the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to release Rs 1503 crore deposited with it by the company for disbursement to Bhopal gas tragedy victims.

Twenty years ago around half a million people were exposed to toxic chemicals during a catastrophic gas leak from a pesticide plant in Bhopal, India. More than 7,000 people died within days. A further 15,000 died in the following years. Around 100,000 people are suffering chronic and debilitating illnesses for which treatment is largely ineffective.

More than 7,000 people died within a matter of days when toxic gases leaked from a chemical plant in Bhopal, India in December 1984. Since then, exposure to the toxins has resulted in the deaths of a further 15,000 people as well as chronic and debilitating illnesses for thousands of others. The plant site has not been cleaned up so toxic wastes continue to pollute