Rules for nuke liability law likely in next Parliament session

Mumbai, Sep 29 (PTI) The much-awaited rules for
implementation of India's Nuclear Liability law which could
pave way for expansion of the atomic power sector by procuring
equipment from foreign suppliers are likely to be tabled in
the Winter session of the Indian Parliament.
Giving this information on Thursday, India's Atomic
Energy Commission Chairman Srikumar Banerjee said the rules
will have to be notified by the ministries concerned before
being presented to Parliament.
The Indian Parliament had passed the Civil Liability for
Nuclear Damages Bill in August last year, paving the way for
nuclear commerce with the world after prolonged wrangling
between the government and the opposition.
"We expect the rules to be tabled before Parliament in
the next session," Banerjee told reporters on the sidelines of
India Nuclear Summit.
The Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Law allows the
operator of a nuclear plant to seek damages from the supplier
in case of a nuclear incident due to supply of equipment with
latent and patent defects or sub-standard services. However,
the law has not gone down well with global suppliers.
On popular resistance to the proposed 9,900 MW Jaitapur
nuclear project over security concerns in the aftermath of
Fukushima incident, he said a re-evaluation of safety norms
was being conducted by the nuclear authority of France and the
Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB).
"Once the French authorities send their report, the
AERB will analyse it before submitting it to the government,"
he said.
Banerjee said the process of re-evaluation was likely
to be completed by December. "Without having a complete safety
analysis it is not possible for us to push the project for
government consideration."
Ruling out a Fukushima-like nuclear disaster in India,
Banerjee said the reactors here had a passive cooling system,
unlike those in the stricken Japanese plant, and added that
additional safety features were being installed in them.