Next 'Bhopal' will be Atomic Energy dept's fault: Greenpeace

The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) should amend the Rules for Nuclear Liability Act as per Parliamentary Standing Committee recommendations, Greenpeace has demanded.

In a statement issued on the 28th anniversary of Bhopal gas tragedy, Greenpeace cautioned DAE of repeating mistakes that lead to mismanagement of Bhopal disaster.

The environmental watchdog is demanding that the DAE should amend Rules for the Nuclear Liability Act as per the recommendations made by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Subordinate Legislation.

According to Greenpeace nuclear energy campaigner Karuna Raina, "the company responsible for Bhopal Gas tragedy was allowed to escape liability because there was no strong law that made them accountable."

"Diluting the supplier liability clause in the Nuclear Liability Act would result in a repeat of Bhopal," Raina

said.

The rules, which were drafted by DAE and notified last year by the government, were criticised for diluting the supplier liability clause in the Nuclear Liability Act.

Parliamentary Standing Committee on Subordinate Legislation tabled its report in the Lok Sabha last session stating that the "rules being delegated, legislation should be consistent with the substantial provisions of the Act and should not contain any limitations or excesses which are not contemplated under the Act," Raina said.

The report slammed DAE for its "lackadaisical" approach towards framing the Rules for the Act, he said.

Former Attorney General, Soli Sorabjee, had opined that the Rules are – Ultra Vires the Act.

"Despite the opinion of eminent jurists as well as the Parliamentary Standing Committee, the DAE and the nuclear establishment seem to be dragging its feet on amending the Rules. In a Parliamentary democracy, the executive cannot override the concerns presented by the Parliamentary Standing Committee," Raina said.

Greenpeace demanded that DAE should implement the recommendations made by the Lok Sabha's Standing Committee on Subordinate Legislation and amend the Rules.

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