8/14/2019 Appeal Against the Proposed Civil Nuclear Liability [Cap] Bill

1/2

Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament & Peace (CNDP)

A-124/6, First Floor, Katwaria Sarai, New Delhi - 110016, Ph: 011-65663958, Telefax: 011-26517814

E-mail: cndpindia@gmail.com, tenthanniversary@cndpindia.org Website: www.cndpindia.org

21 December, 2009

To

Dr. Manmohan Singh

Honble Prime Minister,

Government of India,

South Block, New Delhi.

Sub: Appeal against the Proposed Civil Nuclear Liability [Cap] Bill

Respected Sir,

We, the undersigned, on behalf of the Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace (CNDP), notewith some satisfaction that, despite motivated media leaks and rumours doing regular rounds, the

proposed Bill has not been placed before the Parliament in the just over Winter Session.

In this context, in continuation with our earlier appeal handed over to your goodself on December

15 last, we would like to further request you that no attempts ought to be made to bring the pro-

posed Bill into force via the Ordinance route as the Parliament now stands prorogued till the forth-

coming Budget Session. That would be a travesty of democratic principles. So we again urge that

your government must not proceed with the Bill without larger and open consultations with the

Indian people, all the stakeholders.

A copy of our last appeal is annexed herewith for your kind reference in this regard.

Hope you would give due consideration to our appeal and confirm acceptance.

Yours sincerely,

Praful Bidwai

Achin Vanaik

J Sri Raman

N D JayaprakashSukla Sen

Anil Chaudhary

Cc:

Smt. Sonia Gandhi

Chairperson,

United Progressive Alliance,

28 Akbar Road, New Delhi

8/14/2019 Appeal Against the Proposed Civil Nuclear Liability [Cap] Bill

2/2

Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament & Peace (CNDP)

A-124/6, First Floor, Katwaria Sarai, New Delhi - 110016, Ph: 011-65663958, Telefax: 011-26517814

E-mail: cndpindia@gmail.com, tenthanniversary@cndpindia.org Website: www.cndpindia.org

15 December, 2009

To

Dr. Manmohan Singh

Honble Prime Minister,

Government of India,

South Block, New Delhi.

Sub: Appeal against the Proposed Civil Nuclear Liability [Cap] Bill

Respected Sir,

We, the undersigned, on behalf of the Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace (CNDP), hereby express

our grave concern that though media reports as regards the above Bill are regularly making rounds for quitea while, there is as yet no official word on it despite its profound likely implications.

We would, in this context like to put on record, our strong apprehensions that the proposed Bill is meant to

open the Indian nuclear market for the US companies at the cost of the potential Indian victims of an

accident, which by definition can neither be predicted nor completely avoided, and common Indian taxpayers.

We would also like to record our strong objections to any move to bring in private players as operators in

the arena of nuclear industry, as this would further escalate the probabilities of catastrophic accidents

(something like Chernobyl on April 26 1986) and surely raise the levels of routine hazards as private

operators would be essentially propelled by profit making motive constantly inducing them to cut corners

as regards safety. A regulatory mechanism would at best mitigate but can by no means eliminate that

innate tendency. And, considering the uniqueness of nuclear industry in terms of its devastation potentials,this is a road that we must not travel.

We do, hence, strongly urge that the draft Bill after tabling before the Parliament ought to be referred to the

appropriate Standing Committee and the Standing Committee must initiate the process of larger public

consultations, as in case of the Communal Violence Bill 2005 for example, involving all stakeholders.

Under no circumstances it be hurriedly passed as in case of the SEZ Act 2005 or the UAPA Act 2008. That

would be against the very grain of Indian democracy given the deep and widespread concerns as regards the

said Bill.

Hope you would give due consideration to our appeal.

Yours sincerely,

Praful Bidwai

Achin Vanaik

J Sri Raman

N D Jayaprakash

Sukla Sen

Anil Chaudhary

Cc:

Smt. Sonia Gandhi

Chairperson,

United Progressive Alliance,28 Akbar Road, New Delhi

Annexure