Business Notes ACCIDENTS

When Union Carbide agreed last year to pay $470 million to compensate victims of the 1984 toxic-gas leak that killed more than 3,400 people in Bhopal, India, the company hoped it had put the world's worst industrial accident behind it. But after less than two months in office, the government of Prime Minister V.P. Singh last week disavowed the settlement. New Delhi said it would demand the $3 billion in damages that India originally sought and would seek to reinstate criminal charges against Union Carbide executives.

The Connecticut-based company called the settlement "extremely fair" and expressed confidence that it would survive the challenge. Experts on international law agreed that the settlement is likely to hold up. So far, victims of the Bhopal disaster have received none of the $470 million in damages because the Supreme Court has postponed distribution until it considers anti-settlement petitions filed by Indian groups.