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THE BHOPAL GAS LEAK DISASTER (PROCESSING OF CLAIMS) ACT, 1985
No. 21 of 1985
[29th March, 1985]
An Act to confer certain powers on the Central Government to secure that claims arising out of, or connected with, the Bhopal gas leak disaster are dealt with speedily, effectively, equitably and to the best advantage of the claimants and for matters incidental thereto.
Be it enacted by Parliament in the Thirty-sixth Year of the Republic of India as follows:-
Short title and commencement. 1. (1) This Act may be called the Bhopal Gas Leak Disaster (Processing of Claims) Act, 1985.
(2) It shall be deemed to have come into force on the 20th day of February, 1985.
Definitions. 2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—
- (a) "Bhopal gas leak disaster" or "disaster" means the occurrence on the 2nd and 3rd days of December, 1984, which involved the release of highly noxious and abnormally dangerous gas from a plant in Bhopal (being a plant of the Union Carbide India Limited, a subsidiary of the Union Carbide Corporation, U.S.A.) and which resulted in loss of life and damage to property on an extensive scale;
- (b) "claim" means—
- (i) a claim, arising out of, or connected with, the disaster, for compensation or damages for any loss of life or personal injury which has been, or is likely to be, suffered;
- (ii) a claim, arising out of, or connected with, the disaster, for any damage to property which has been, or is likely to be, sustained;
- (iii) a claim for expenses incurred or required to be incurred for containing the disastery or mitigating or otherwise coping with the effects of the disaster;
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