People's Democracy

Dilution of Nuclear Liability Law

THE rules notified under the Civil Nuclear Liability Act have diluted the provisions of liability for the foreign suppliers. The right to recourse for the operator to claim damages from the foreign supplier has been limited to the duration of the initial licence period or the product liability period, whichever is longer.

The initial duration of the licence is normally five years and the product liability period will also be limited.

Such rules do not cover a reasonable period of the functioning of the reactor and its equipment.

Interestingly, these rules have been notified on the eve of the prime minister’s meeting with the US president during the ASEAN summit meeting. Obviously, these rules have been framed in order to meet the objections of the United States which wants the foreign suppliers’ liability itself to be nullified.

The CPI(M) demands that parliament review the rules and adopt steps to ensure that the spirit and content of the law is not diluted in any way.