N-liability bill being scrutinised clause-by-clause: Parl committee -Governance Now

N-liability bill being scrutinised clause-by-clause: Parl committee

Bill most likely to be introduced in this session of the parliament

Trithesh Nandan | August 3, 2010

The Standing Committee of Parliament on Science and technology is making a thorough scan of the N-liability bill before it is presented for discussion in the Houses this session.

Committee member Rajiv Pratap Rudy told Governance Now that the bill is being currently dissected clause-by-clause on being asked if the liability of the operators may go up from the proposed Rs 500 crores.

Given that the controversial bill has faced stiff opposition from all quarters given the fact that it dilutes the liability of operators and suppliers in case of nuclear accidents, Rudy steered away from commenting on any possible changes.

However, the committee is reported to have agreed on suggesting changes in certain clauses which are seek to shield suppliers of nuclear equipment from liability.

“The committee will soon submit its report and is the bill is likely to be introduced in the monsoon session of the Parliament,” the Rajya Sabha member of the Bharitiya Janata Party (BJP) from Bihar told Governance Now. August 3 and 4 are likely to be the deadline for the final round of discussion on the nuclear liability bill. “We will finish the discussion in one or two days.”

Much of what india's nuclear deal with the US promises hinges on the passing of the Bill.

The Bill was referred to the standing committee in May this year after the opposition put up a strong protest against it.It is led by Congress Rajya Sabha member and former Union minister T Subbirami Reddy.

The committee has 11 congressmen, seven from NJP and three from the Left parties and two from the Samajwadi party while RJD, JD(U), BJD, BSP, NCP and TDP have one member each.

Last month, experts like former AERB chairman A Gopalakrishna, former AEC chairman P K Iyengar, strategic affairs experts Brahma Chellany and Bharat Karnad and from civil rights groups appeared before the committee.

Succumbing to the public demand, the nuclear liability bill in an advertisement on June 24 had called for wider consultations to include public opinion on the Bill.

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