The Centre failed to introduce in Parliament the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill 2010, intended to shield US nuclear equipment suppliers from liability. The bill, listed on Monday’s agenda, was deferred because of opposition from lawmakers.
In what is being seen as poor floor management by the UPA, the bill was kept on the agenda even though leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj had told PM Manmohan Singh that her party won’t support the bill in its present form. Singh had telephoned her on Sunday to ask for BJP’s support.
BJP leader Yashwant Sinha called the bill a “sellout” to the US since suppliers would have no liability. Sinha said such a law was not needed as India has already signed MoUs with France and Russia for supply of reactors.
However, minister of state for science and technology Prithviraj Chauhan said the law was necessary as no other supplier was willing to give compensation and sign international conventions on nuclear safety.
In case of an accident, the bill caps the liability of the nuclear plant operator at Rs500 crore. In case damages amount to more than Rs500 crore, the government will foot the bill. Sinha said he objected to this provision as it was being done to favour US companies. “It not only limits liability, but also transfers the larger part of the liability to the government, in other words, the taxpayer,” he said.
The bill provides that compensation will be decided by a Commission for Nuclear Liability. “Indian courts will have no say in this,” Sinha said.
“The whole idea is to socialise the risk, privatise the profit. It is the taxpayer’s money which will be paid to the taxpayer. We oppose the bill,” Greenpeace energy campaigner Karuna Raina said.
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