LS members raise doubts over safety of N-power plants

NEW DELHI: Lok Sabha members raised questions on the safety of Nuclear power on Monday reminding the government that the Bharatiya Janata Party had raised similar objections when it was in opposition during the United Progressive Alliance stint.

Tathagata Satpathy (BJD) said the BJP had initially opposed the Indo-us nuclear deal but now in a “volte face” is supporting it. He said the party’s much-chanted stance had little to do with their ideology but it is power “which changes things”.

Satpathy questioned the gov ernment’s refusal to part with safety data of nuclear reactors claiming that such documents were available freely world-over but not in India. He claimed that Areva company of France was selling “archaic” nucle ar technology for a plant in Maharashtra but the regulators are not aware of it. The French nuclear regulator has described that technology as archaic.

By keeping the control of atomic power in the hands of its agencies, the BJD member said the government has kept things under “shroud”.

In the midst of such ques tions, the Lok Sabha passed a bill that will allow state-run NPCIL to collaborate with other PSUS in the nuclear field.

The government also allayed fears that the legislation will facilitate FDI into the sector or allow participation of a private company in atomic power pro duction.

The Atomic Energy Amendment Bill, 2015, propos es to amend the 1962 Atomic Energy Act to change the defini tion of “government company” in the act with a view to expand ing its scope by including such joint venture companies as may be formed between NPCIL and other PSUS, according to the statement of object and reasons

Minister of state for PMO Jitendra Singh said there has been “absolutely no compro mise” on the safety of the people and a National Nuclear Insurance Pool has been created to deal with any sort of exigency which includes seeking property damage up to 10 years and per