India, Union Carbide Still Talking

Lawyers for India and Union Carbide Corp. failed to meet a deadline today for an out-of-court settlement in the world’s worst industrial disaster, and a judge ordered resumption of pretrial proceedings.

Both sides said they are still negotiating in an effort to reach agreement on compensation for victims of a Dec. 3, 1984, leak of toxic methyl isocyanate gas that spewed from Union Carbide’s now-defunct pesticide plant in Bhopal. Nearly 3,000 people died and more than 200,000 were injured. Judge M. W. Deo set Nov. 27 for the next court session, directing that it be used to establish a schedule for further hearings on India’s demand for $3 billion in damages from Union Carbide.