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India’s govt makes several changes to the Nuclear Liability Bill

it [ The Indian Government]has been keen that a liability law is in place ahead of  U.S. President Barack Obama’s visit to India in November. .

Amended Bill blocks private role in nuclear power – India – The Times of India, 18 Aug 2010, NEW DELHI: The government has ensured a safe passage for the civil liability for nuclear damage bill after sealing a deal with BJP on Tuesday by agreeing to bump up the “no-fault” liability from Rs 500 crore to Rs 1,500 crore and a guarantee against private firms running nuclear power plants.
The government-BJP talks were concluded at finance minister Pranab Mukherjee’s office in Parliament and the government can now hope to pass the bill this session itself as it has been keen that a liability law is in place ahead of USPresident Barack Obama’s visit to India in November. …..

The bill will now have a provision that nuclear power plants will be run only by the government or government-owned companies.The first stage liability would be Rs 1,500 crore and subject to periodic review. The government has been reluctant to raise this cap but with the standing committee draft itself revising it to Rs 1,000 crore, it had to give in to the BJP demand.

The language of section 17 dealing with the “right to recourse” or the operator’s right to pursue suppliers for faults has been made tougher and will cover damages caused during transportation. The liability will be qualified in terms of initial fault at time of supply or one that develops over time.

The time limit for filing a compensation claim has been raised from 10 to 20 years in view of the submissions to the committee that the inter-generational effects of radiation leaks can sometimes take many years to manifest.

The liability has been made “absolute” and seeks to enable victims from claiming compensation from operators without delays and there is no reference that inidicates that India would become a member of the Convention on Supplementary Compensation as a consequent to the passage of the bill.

Amended Bill blocks private role in nuclear power – India – The Times of India

August 18, 2010 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | India, Legal | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear wastes, reactors