N-liability bill in monsoon session

The Civil Nuclear Liability Bill is all set to sail through this monsoon session, with the BJP hinting at supporting the contentious bill.

The BJP expressed its willingness after the Centre was forced to accept the seven changes – including an increase to the liability cap of the nuclear plant operator from the proposed Rs 500 to Rs 1,500 crore – to the bill that the party had earlier suggested.

“If the basic shape of the legislation becomes what we have been asking for, we will see what we can do about it,” Arun Jaitley, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha told reporters.

For the UPA government, this will be a major diplomatic achievement, as it would be able to enact the new law before US President Barack Obama arrives on his maiden India tour, this November.

With the Left parties sticking to their opposition to the “pro-US” bill, it was important for the Congress-led UPA to bring the BJP on board to ensure its smooth sail in the Parliament. Another important opposition party, the BSP, has also assured the government of its support to the bill.

The standing committee on science and technology that was reviewing the bill, will table its report on Wednesday, clearing the way for its passage.

Leaders of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha – Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley – along with former finance minister Yashwant Sinha met Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Minister of State for Science and Technology Prithviraj Chavan this morning.

As part of an understanding, the government will now move the amendments to ensure the operator signs a separate contract with the supplier (foreign agencies) to take care of “latent or patent” defects. There will also be a new provision to address defects during transportation.

The new law will be applicable to plants operated by the government or public sector companies. However, private companies will not get any benefit from this law.

There will be no reference to the Convention on Supplementary Compensation (CSC) in any part of the bill. In other words, the bill will not be binding for the country to sign an international convention for getting access to international funds in case of accidents.

Total liability, in case of a nuclear accident, will be kept at 300 SDRs.

The UPA managers have also agreed to increase the extinction of right to claim for nuclear damage for a period of 20 years from 10 years. The bill will also have an added provision in its preamble that all liabilities under this Act shall be “no fault liability”.