LS-LDALL NUCLEAR 2

The bill, which was studied in depth by a Parliamentary
Standing Committee, is necessary for full implementation of
the civil nuclear deal signed with the US in 2006.
In his brief intervention, Singh asserted that atomic
power was the "viable" option which could not be ignored and
the legislation would enable India to widen this option by
undertaking nuclear commerce with the world.
Moving the bill and later in his reply, Minister of
State in the PMO, Prithviraj Chavan said the government had
sought to evolve a broad consensus on the legislation by
trying to take on board the views of Opposition parties.
The amended Clause 17(B) now does not have the word
"intent" with regard to suppliers or their employees in
causing an accident in a nuclear plant, a provision that was
strongly objected to by BJP and Left parties which felt it was
aimed at diluting the suppliers liability.
Significantly, the language of the official amendment
to Clause 17 (b) now now matches the amendment moved by BJP
leader Jaswant Singh. Left leaders had also submitted
amendments to the same clause but did not not press them.
Chavan said the compensation cap to be paid by the
operator at Rs 1500 crore as provided in the Bill was not the
"limit", as overall compensation would be the decision of the
Claims Commissioner.
"Compensation is unlimited. Whatever compensation will be
decided by the Claims Commissioner and he (operator) will have
to pay it," Chavan said adding that the limit on compensation
was only to enable the operator take insurance cover.
The debate also witnessed unusual bonhomie between the
ruling coalition and the BJP with members praising each
other's governments.
The Prime Minister noted that the process for having
civil nuclear deal with the US was initiated by the previous
Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. MORE PTI