‘Proposed amendments to nuke liability bill a mistake’-16/6/10

‘Proposed amendments to nuke liability bill a mistake’

Rajeev Deshpande, TNN, Jun 16, 2010, 04.37am IST



Tags:obama administration|Bhopal gas tragedy|nuclear liability|Department of Atomic Energy

NEW DELHI: The government has backtracked on “dilution” of nuclear liability for civil damage in the aftermath of the Bhopal verdict. Opposition MPs on the standing committee on science, technology and environment took the government to task on proposed amendments in the bill, demanding to know who had authorised the changes, whether the Cabinet was consulted or they had been cleared at the ministerial level.

Though there is a provision that allows the chairman to permit official amendments, MPs were annoyed that the deletions in the bill were sought at the very first meeting on June 8 even before issues could be framed for discussion. They strongly suggested the nature of changes indicated a certain “mindset” or an intent to dilute the bill.

With public outrage over the Bhopal gas case verdict yet to die down, Srikumar Banerjee, secretary of the department of Atomic Energy, faced a few tough moments. He said the amendments were a mistake and that they should not have been presented to the committee. But even as he offered his regrets, committee members pressed on, asking how did the amendments find their way into the dockets prepared for MPs. Having withdrawn the amendments, the government’s job has become more complex as the Obama administration has been keen that liability of foreign suppliers be clearly defined so that their insurance costs are not prohibitive. It would now seem their concerns may be addressed only in part by the bill.

Committee chairman T Subbirami Reddy assured MPs that he would take their queries about the nativity of the amendments with the concerned authorities. The unanimity with which RJD, SP, BJP and Left MPs raised their concerns, saw the amendments being withdrawn and the examination of other senior officials get underway.

The importance the government accords to the bill which it is hopeful of passing in the monsoon session could be seen by the presence of no less than six secretaries including those belong to law, external affairs, power, home and environment.