N-Bill taken up in LS; controversial word dropped

The government today dropped a controversial amendment to a contentious clause on the liability of suppliers in case of accident in the Civil Nuclear Damages Bill, virtually adopting an amendment moved by the Opposition BJP in a bid to evolve a consensus on the measure.

Moving the  Civil Liability for Nuclear Damages Bill, 2010 in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State in the PMO Prithviraj Chavan, tabled an amendment to Clause 17(B) which now now does not not  have the word "intent" with regard to suppliers or their employees in causing an accident in a nuclear plant.

The rephrased amendment now now reads "the nuclear incident has resulted as a consequence of an act of supplier or his employee, which includes supply of equipment or material with patent or latent defects or sub-standard services".

Significantly, the language matches the amendment moved by BJP leader Jaswant Singh, who today initiated discussion on the Bill in the Lok Sabha.

The action of the government, which has tabled 18 amendments to the Bill that was considered by a Standing Committee of Parliament, came after intense negotiations with the Opposition.

Commending the Bill to the House for its consideration, Chavan said the government had sought to evolve a broad consensus on the legislation by trying to take on board the concerns of Opposition parties.

The original version of the amendment had come under sharp attack from the BJP and Left parties as it provided for proving the "intent" of a supplier of causing an accident if an operator were to claim compensation.

The parties had contended that it was impossible to prove an intent on the part of suppliers or their employees in case of an accident.