Nuke liability bill to be introduced in LS tomorrow

A crucial bill that provides for compensation in case of a nuclear accident is slated to be introduced in the Lok Sabhaon Monday, a move that is expected to give more fodder to the Opposition to attack the government.

The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Left parties have already indicated opposition to the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill that is key to operationalise the landmark Indo-US nuclear deal. The Bill pegs the maximum amount of liability in case of each nuclear accident at Rs 300 crore to be paid by the operator of the nuclear plant.

However, the draft bill also has provisions that would enable the government to either increase or decrease the amount of liability of any operator. "At the introduction itself we will oppose unless the government assures us that it would be sent to a Parliamentary Standing Committee," Communist Party of India-Marxist politburo member Sitaram Yechury said.

The BJP is also understood to have expressed concern over the Rs 300 crore limit in the liability of the nuclear power plant operator. "All these issues are there and we will discuss all that in the standing committee," said Yechury when asked about the Rs 300 crore limit.

Reports had it that the government was keen on getting the Bill passed in the ongoing budget session itself. National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon had met BJP leader Arun Jaitley to brief him about the Bill, but the main opposition is yet to have all its concerns addressed.

Jaitley is understood to have given a list of queries regarding the Bill to Menon but was yet to get any reply. The Bill was approved by the Union Cabinet on November 20 last year.

According to the provisions in the draft legislation, the operator would not be liable for any nuclear damage if the incident was caused by "grave national disaster of exceptional character", armed conflict or act of terrorism and suffered by person on account of his own negligence.

Former Atomic Energy Commission Chairman and key architect of the Indo-US nuclear deal Anil Kakodkar feels that the liability limit is optimum. "It was important that this amount was not kept too low. I think this is the appropriate and reasonable level," he said adding that it was "quite balanced and needs to be passed in its present form".

The Bill also provides for establishment of Nuclear Damage Claims Commission which will have one or more claims commissioners for a specified area. The claims commissioner shall have all powers of a civil court for the purpose of taking evidence on oath, enforcing attendance of witnesses, compelling the discovery and production of documents and other material objects.