With the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill (CLNDB) to be tabled in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, minister of science and technology Prithviraj Chavan held a series of meetings with leaders of the Left parties.
During the course of an hour-long meeting with CPI(M) politburo member Sitaram Yechury, Mr Chavan is reported to have reassured him that the government was willing to consider their point of view, especially in relation to the suppliers’ liability. “The minister appeared willing to consider our points of view, especially those relating to the suppliers’ liability. But we have to see the fineprint of the proposed legislation,” Mr Yechury said after the meeting
He quoted Mr Chavan as saying that the government would consider relevant amendments moved by the Left parties in the course of discussion on the bill.
Mr Chavan also reassured Mr Yechury that the civil liability would not replace criminal liability in case of a nuclear accident and the law of the land would prevail.
The Left parties maintain the CLNDB went “against the grain of the crucial recommendations of the parliamentary standing committee, but also sought to dilute the provisions of the original bill to protect the interests of the foreign suppliers of nuclear equipment and domestic private players”.
Mr Chavan gave a similar assurance to CPI national secretary D. Raja that the government was willing to consider any amendments on the suppliers’ liability if they were moved by the Left parties during discussion in the Lok Sabha.
Mr Raja reiterated the Left parties’ opposition to capping the liability at Rs 1,500 crores and expressed criticism at the government’s keenness to join the Convention on Supplementary Compensation which has not been signed by most nuclear nations, including China. The BJP, seeking a harder formulation to nail the suppliers, has given four choices of amendments to the government. The government has given three formulations and Mr Chavan has stated that “if the Opposition wants to change any of these three, even then we are ready to accept any ‘reasonable amendments’”.
The Left parties expressed their opposition to the entry of private players in the nuclear arena.
The CPI(M), CPI, RSP and Forward Bloc have charged the government with “dubious intent” to protect the interests of the foreign suppliers and pave the way for “a massive subsidisation of the private players in nuclear power” whenever they are allowed to operate in the country.