BJP fears that government may allow private operators in future in the civilian nuclear programme and maintains that unless this aspect is factored in the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damages Bill, it would not support the proposed legislation.
When National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon met BJP’s top brass on March 17, the leaders registered their objection to the absence of any clause about the “almost inevitable involvement” of private players in future.
BJP was not satisfied with the government contention that the provision can be added later.
“Private players are likely to get involved in future.
The volume of money in this field runs into several million dollars. There are likely to be joint ventures between Indian companies and foreign multi—nationals,” former Union minister and senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi said.
He asserted that these matters should be suitably dealt with in the Bill.
Other than Mr. Joshi, those BJP leaders present in the meeting with Mr. Menon were Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj, her counterpart in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley, Deputy Leader of BJP in the Upper House S S Ahluwalia and former external affairs minister Yashwant Sinha.
BJP leaders feel the government is putting the cap of Rs 500 crore on compensation merely to “facilitate” entry of private players. It fears that while this cap — which arguably is needless if government is to be the only operator — will stay, it may later amend the 1962 Atomic Energy Act to allow private players.
Having a low cap on compensation would go against India when private players get involved, feels Joshi, as then “sub—standard technology” can also come in and for these rich companies total damages claimed may be small and easy to pay.
BJP is also opposed to the government — as the sole operator — paying all compensation as this would mean use of taxpayers’ money for the purpose while letting the private suppliers go “scot—free“.
It also feels the bill should go beyond the Price Anderson Act of the US while deciding the compensation amount.
“There are demands in the US that the Price Anderson Act— which envisages $10 billion as compensation— should be amended to double the amount to $20 billion. In US, it is now jokingly called the half—price law,” Mr. Joshi said.