This refers to the report that the UPA government has ensured the smooth passage of the proposed nuclear civil liability bill in Parliament by accepting most of the suggestions made by the BJP. The BJP may laud the trebling of the operator liability cap from Rs.500 crore to Rs.1500 crore but the liability limit is still low for an accident in a nuclear power plant which can affect huge tracts of the environment with lethal radiations. There should be no pre-fixed limit to compensation if the plants are going to be owned by the government or its companies. It will be an unjust burden on the people if they have to foot the bill, with the suppliers of technology and equipment escaping punishment.
K. Vijayakumar,
Bangalore
Ultimately, the BJP has yielded to the pressure of big business to join the Congress, its natural partner in Liberalisation, Globalisation and Privatisation policies, in passing the nuclear liability bill. What happened to the canard, which was being spread about the Left joining forces with the communal BJP, even though the issue in question was price rise affecting people's livelihood? Perhaps, the deal with the U.S. is a far more important issue than people's disempowerment, where communalism is dispensable?
Kasim Sait,
Chennai
