Free Standing Shelving

Why PM went for Nuclear liability Bill that would clip wings of India’s nuclear technology?

Former chairman of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, A. Gopalakrishnan, has said the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill will lead to clipping the wings of India’s indigenous nuclear technology capabilities. Mr. Gopalakrishnan, a stringent critic of the India-U.S. nuclear deal, told The Hindu that the new law would open the doors for the U.S. and French nuclear industry to “extensively sell their very costly and unproven light-water reactors (LWR) to India.” He said that back in 2008, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had, without consulting the Indian Parliament or the public, promised the U.S. administration to purchase 10,000 MWe worth of LWRs from that country. This, Mr. Gopalakrishnan claimed, was under pressure from the U.S. administration for getting the `123’ agreement passed by the U.S. Congress. Mr. Singh had also promised French President Nicholas Sarkozy to purchase French reactors, in return for his help to circumvent the Nuclear Suppliers Group’s conditions. Without a liability law that lets the reactor manufacturers off the hook in case of a nuclear accident, these companies would not dare to do business with India, he said. Mr. Gopalakrishnan pointed out that India is a leading country in thorium breeder reactor technology and is poised to build thorium-based reactors routinely by 2040. The country had abundant resources of thorium raw material in the sands of Kerala’s shores. He contended that the plan to import 40,000 MWe worth reactors during 2015-35 would shelve the thorium-based breeder reactor technology currently under development. “We have two generations of top-class nuclear scientists and engineers who have been painstakingly trained; we have the technological and industrial capability; and we have abundant raw materials,” he said. “All these will go to waste if we predominantly start relying on the import of the highly expensive U.S. and French reactors.” Mr. Gopalakrishnan thinks that had Prime Minister Singh’s secret promise (in the form of a letter by India’s Foreign Secretary to the U.S. Under-Secretary of State) on September 10, 2008 been made public at the time, the Opposition parties and the public would not have perhaps let the India-U.S. nuclear deal through. http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article582271.ece The PM and his govt had repeatedly proved that national interests are of least concern to them. The low compensation agreed against the Bhopal tragedy with US based Union Carbide by Rajiv in the past, is typical of the present sell out of our interests "to adhere to the Convention on Supplementary Compensation (CSC) for Nuclear Damage..." whereby the national law should legally channel the liability for all nuclear accidents in India absolutely to the `operator’ of the nuclear facility!!! What are your views on this suicidal deals of the UPA govt? Dear Pquaint, I wish to answer your points: You say: 1. Before attempting to answer this question, I'd like to read the views of Dr. Anil Kakodkar, Dr. Srikumar Banerjee and Dr. R. K. Sinha also. Like "one swallow doesn't make a summer"...this person's views need to be validated by other nuclear scientists too. We know that it requires lot of grit to speak hard truths against a serious wrong of a powerful Govt like UPA’s about whose chairperson, even Media thinks several times before a comment! If as much exposures as about Sonia family’s alleged deposits abroad had been made against any other leader in the country, the media would have made tons of comments by now! But they keep studied silence when the Task Force under Gurumoorthy publishes details before the Press Reporters daring Govt to take action if they were proved wrong! So I would least expect most elite critics and bureaucrats or scientists to speak out against Govt in the sensitive issue! 2. PM being In charge of DAE 2. PM being In charge of DAE wouldn't make any deal without consulting eminent scientists...and weighing all pros and cons!!! In that case let him give his rejoinder to the elite scientist who spoke to the media. A person of Dr G’s stature would not talk serious things without solid facts, like politicians do. And we had seen how the MM govt had acted in the various issues! He would not hesitate to call even the infamous Spectrum deals as akin to ''food subsidy''! 3. By now I have pretty good idea of political leanings of members like yourself and a few other answerers who suspect EVERY move Congress leaders make...totally ignoring and/or overlooking the fact that India has made great progress in science and technology under the able leadership and policies of Congress party. Yes I do not make any secret of my serious doubts about the Congress leaders just as people of your group do about the major opposition groups! But people know, learned sister, that any progress in any field any field in the country is happening in spite of the bunglings of this govt! The talk of Second Green Revolution etc are still pathetically sneering at us! 4. To say that "The PM and his govt had repeatedly proved that national interests are of least concern to them" is SLANDEROUS!!! Please note that I had not blindly commented in the forum about any contentious issue without good reasons. Mr Gopalakrishnan had not given just his sweet opinions without facts, but given plausible reasons and facts which you cannot call ‘’slanderous’’

Public Comments

1. Wings not clipped.
2. The former chairman of Atomic Energy Reg Board had told it in the interview: “We have two generations of top-class nuclear scientists and engineers who have been painstakingly trained; we have the technological and industrial capability; and we have abundant raw materials,” he said. “All these will go to waste..."! It is exactly the intent to waste all talents (except art of corruption) and resources (CWG, 2G, food grains, etc etc) so that no other sector save the business and politicians flourish. I am trying to say crudely since the real intent already known to people is too shameful to say! I heard of a proverb ''people get the govt they deserve''! It may be extended to say that ''people should deserve liberty to enjoy it'' Basically our elite leaders are totally subservient to the western aristocrats and they go to any extent to please them. Then they suspect that the foreign funds flow to Hazare to unseat their party! Set of sick, weird politicians have managed to seize the helm aligning with all sort of time servers and spoil the country! What else to say? We had not deserved this Govt anyway. Apart from the vote bank numbers and the play of other factors like multiple contests splitting dissent votes, there was no chance for this group to even get simple majority! But if someone else takes over? Which of these political groups is brighter? But yes I would go with those who would challenge that any other party would be much less evil than the UPA gang!! If these people rule one more term we would be lost to the western aristocrats for good! Edit: Nandi sir, the apparently funny reply "Because their wings are not clipped" would lend to a wrong perception as if the atomic scientists are rogues who need to be clipped of their research contribution to make us self reliant! So better not say anything uncharitable about them!
3. I like the one word answer of "xpatinas", which has said everything.
4. Before attempting to answer this question, I'd like to read the views of Dr. Anil Kakodkar, Dr. Srikumar Banerjee and Dr. R. K. Sinha also. Like "one swallow doesn't make a summer"...this person's views need to be validated by other nuclear scientists too. PM being Incharge of DAE wouldn't make any deal without consulting eminent scientists...and weighing all pros and cons!!! By now I have pretty good idea of political leanings of members like yourself and a few other answerers who suspect EVERY move Congress leaders make...totally ignoring and/or overlooking the fact that India has made great progress in science and technology under the able leadership and policies of Congress party. To say that "The PM and his govt had repeatedly proved that national interests are of least concern to them" is SLANDEROUS!!! Anyway, you are entitled to your opinion!