Four non-governmental organizations (NGOs) advocating for the victims of the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy have filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court seeking increased compensation for survivors suffering from cancer and severe kidney disorders.

Addressing the media here on Saturday, NGO representatives alleged that diseases such as cancer and renal disorders, caused by exposure to methyl isocyanate (MIC), have been wrongly categorized as “temporary” by authorities.

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Rachana Dhingra of the Bhopal Group for Action and Information revealed that the petition was filed two days ago.

She added that the Supreme Court is likely to hear the case on December 3, coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the tragedy, regarded as one of the worst industrial disasters in history.

Dhingra claimed that documents from Union Carbide indicate that damage caused by MIC exposure is permanent. She argued that the misclassification of these ailments as temporary has resulted in under-compensation for many survivors.

Official records state that approximately 5,500 people lost their lives and over 500,000 were injured when MIC gas leaked from the Union Carbide pesticide factory in Bhopal on the night of December 2-3, 1984.