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Clouds loom over nuclear liability bill

DNMUM165053 | 3/7/2010 | Author : Nistula Hebbar | WC :497 | Politics & Governance

BJP decides to oppose it, and this could delaythe setting up of private nuclear power plants

The new-found bonhomie between the government and the main opposition party over the women's reservation bill will not last long as the BJP has decided to oppose the nuclear liability bill, which is to come up before Parliament next week.
The nuclear liability bill is important for operationalising the Indo-US nuclear deal, as it sets the protocol in case of a nuclear accident at any of the sites for private nuclear plants.
Leader of the opposition Sushma Swaraj told DNA that the party had made up its mind on the matter. "National Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon had met with leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley and his deputy SS Ahluwalia a few weeks back and was informed of our stand," she said. This will be bad news for the government which is desperate to get the bill cleared in Parliament without delay.
The bill was cleared by the Union cabinet last November, and the prime minister had also called on senior BJP leaders recently to seek their backing.

But the bill, according to Swaraj, seeks to cap the liability of private service providers in case of accidents to a "measly" Rs500 crore. "There are two models of this bill on fixing liabilities. One in which the government bears the liability for any damages due to accidents and another in which the service provider is held liable. The last is applicable in the United States, which the government of India says it is following. Our objection is...

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