nuclear-news

India removing freedom of information about nuclear industry

 the bill provides for penal action against persons who disclose the information regarding nuclear energy establishments.

“This clause will be used as a shield to prevent disclosure of information relating to even allegations of human rights violation and corruption in such bodies,”

Civil society and govt divided over nuclear safety, Chetan Chauhan, Hindustan Times, New Delhi, March 29, 2012 The Nuclear Safety Regulatory Authority Bill is becoming a new flashpoint between the government and the civil society.   The bone of contention is two clauses in the bill which aims to restrict application of transparency law — the Right To Information (RTI) — in nuclear energy establishments.  These provisions will prevent the citizens from seeking sensitive information regarding nuclear and radiation safety even though section 8 of the RTI Act provides adequate protection of legitimate needs of information which should not be disclosed.

Aruna Roy led National Campaign for People’s Right To Information
(NCPRI) is spearheading a campaign against restrictions on enforcement
of RTI law in nuclear establishments in name of protecting commercial
confidentiality of technology holders.

Information Commission Shailesh Gandhi and noted jurist Fali Nariman
have written to the Prime Minister urging him to withdraw these
provisions saying these clauses will not help in building public
opinion in favour of nuclear plants……
What has irked the transparency activists is that the bill provides
for penal action against persons who disclose the information
regarding nuclear energy establishments. “This clause will be used as
a shield to prevent disclosure of information relating to even
allegations of human rights violation and corruption in such bodies,”
Nariman said.

Gandhi termed the provisions as regressive in India’s parliamentary
democracy towards participatory democracy. “Nuclear energy is
important for the nation but transparency is more important and must
not be whittled down,” Gandhi said, in his letter.

Shekhar Singh, founding member of NCPRI, believes that the clauses
will impair the transparency law which has worked well so far and
there was no need to tamper it.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/Civil-society-and-govt-divided-over-nuclear-safety/Article1-832666.aspx

March 30, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | civil liberties, India