Indian Nuclear Liability Bill

The Indian Cabinet has cleared the above Bill and it is on the way through Rajya Sabha. The Bill is of considerable interest for American business in Indian nuclear power sector. The clearance of the Bill is also essential for any nuclear commerce with the countries of Nuclear Supplier’s Group. As of now, it looks as if US business in Indian nuclear sector is far behind Russia and France.

The importance content of the Bill is that it provides a cap of 2,500 Crore by way of damages in the event of any nuclear related accident occurring in India, and the government will facilitate the compensation through Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL). The responsibility for paying the damages will be on the operator of the reactor rather than on the supplier and builder of the reactor. This clause will enable the Nuclear Suppliers Group nations to get away without any responsibility for the accident and without paying anything! The probability of such incidents/accidents occurring is now considerably increased in view of the enhanced terrorist activities around the globe.

In should known that Rs.2500 Cr liability is just nothing to compensate for the property loss, for the management of the exposed personnel (both occupational and public) and implementation of very expensive decontamination procedures of large contaminated areas around the site. The liability needs to be enhanced by 10 times.