Open to changes in N-liability bill: Centre-29/7/10

Open to changes in N-liability bill: Centre

TNN, Jul 29, 2010, 05.27am IST

NEW DELHI: With the fate of civil liability for nuclear damage bill getting enmeshed with stalemated ties with Left and fresh hostilities with BJP, the government is open to defining responsibilities for a nuclear accident more closely.

The government is open to inserting clauses that will cover eventualities like accidents during transport of nuclear materials or in their handling at domestic and even foreign ports.

It may also examine whether liability needs to be more carefully defined in case the operator of a nuclear power plant is a public sector joint venture where one may have a private equity.

The standing committee on science and technology is expected to finalise its views on the bill by August 5 or so and it is bound to be accompanied by dissenting notes. The government is being careful over any commitments on increasing the compensation cap.