NEW DELHI: Supreme Court Monday asked govt whether Sustainable Harnessing and Advancing of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (Shanti) Act — which limits operator’s liability at Rs 4,000 crore — impede constitutional courts from awarding appropriate and adequate compensation in an unforeseen event of a nuclear power plant mishap.The clarification was sought by a bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, as petitioner EAS Sarma’s advocate Prashant Bhushan said the law capped the operator’s liability at a paltry Rs 4,000 crore even though in case of a mishap the liability towards citizens would run into tens of thousands of crores.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesBhushan said the paltry liability clause would make foreign suppliers become lax towards stringent safety norms, which in turn would make a nuclear power plant a constant threat to lives of citizens living around it. In addition, he argued, if govt could put up solar power plants on 6% of available waste land, it could generate six times more electricity than the present requirement.SC asked, “Does the Act say constitutional court’s jurisdiction is barred from entertaining pleas of citizens demanding higher compensation, if, god forbid, an unforeseen unfortunate mishap happens in a nuclear power plant?”During the last hearing, the top court had observed “if total liability after an unforeseen nuclear plant mishap works out to Rs 40,000 crore, the nation in a parliamentary regime can say it can absolve the operator beyond Rs 4,000 crore. But that does not bind courts from determining actual liability of govt towards each citizen affected by the mishap. Nobody can curtail even the powers of tribunals to award adequate compensation”.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosJSSC-CGL CANCELLED: Jharkhand Students Celebrate After Government Accepts Key Demands“No Compensation, Build A School”: CJP Volunteer Emotional Tribute To Father Leaves Ranka In TearsAsish Banerjee Death Mystery: Threat, Blackmail Angle Probed As Note And Phones Face ScrutinyBJP’s Big Shake-Up: Ram Madhav Returns, Smriti Irani Gets Key Role In Nitin Nabin’s New Team‘Will Rise For Vande Mataram, But Won’t Sing’: Congress MP Imran Masood Amid Sonia Gandhi Row‘Personally Meet Students’: Rahul Gandhi Writes To CM Hemant Soren Over Jharkhand Protests7 Charred To Death, Several Injured In Fire At Hotel Near Tarapith Temple In Bengal’s Birbhum‘Electric Pole Fell’: 7 Women Dead, Many Injured In Stampede At Temple In Bihar’s Lakhisarai‘Only These…’: Rijiju Shares 3 Categories Of ‘Dimagi Naxals’ After Oppn’s Attack On PM Modi‘Process Vitiated…’: Bangladesh Links Tarique Rahman’s India Visit To Sheikh Hasina Extradition123Photostories7 email habits that can make you look careless at work even when your actual work is goodGeorgina Rodríguez’s wedding jewellery was pure Kalahari luxury, and the diamonds clearly came to competePriyanka Chopra’s maroon backless gown just gave desi Disney princess energy with a trail that refused to behave10 powerful baby boy and girl names from different cultures that mean strengthOptical Illusion personality test: What you see first reveals your secret personality traitH1N1 or seasonal flu? Symptoms often overlap, but doctors look for these clues before deciding9 ways to add more protein to your rotiOTT releases this week (August 17-August 23): ‘Welcome to the Jungle’, ‘Jana Nayagan’, ‘Lanterns’, ‘Toy Story 5’, ‘Love Is Blind: UK’ Season 3 and moreChef Sanjeev Kapoor shares 9 basics of baking for every new and casual bakerDeepika Padukone makes maternity fashion look too easy in an oversized blue shirt and baggy jeans123Hot PicksKarnataka PG Dental admissionBank holidays this weekRBI new rulesBJP new teamJharkhand ProtestUS green cardSmriti IraniSupreme Court HolidayUP NEET UG counsellingTop TrendingK AnnamalaiBengal Hotel FireNoida Biker AccidentTamil Nadu Double MurderAbhijeet DipkeHyderabad MurderMuzaffarnagar Kanwariya MurderWeather TomorrowBengaluru RapidoBen Gvir
NEW DELHI: Supreme Court Monday asked govt whether Sustainable Harnessing and Advancing of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (Shanti) Act — which limits operator’s liability at Rs 4,000 crore — impede constitutional courts from awarding appropriate and adequate compensation in an unforeseen event of a nuclear power plant mishap.The clarification was sought by a bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, as petitioner EAS Sarma’s advocate Prashant Bhushan said the law capped the operator’s liability at a paltry Rs 4,000 crore even though in case of a mishap the liability towards citizens would run into tens of thousands of crores.
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Bhushan said the paltry liability clause would make foreign suppliers become lax towards stringent safety norms, which in turn would make a nuclear power plant a constant threat to lives of citizens living around it. In addition, he argued, if govt could put up solar power plants on 6% of available waste land, it could generate six times more electricity than the present requirement.SC asked, “Does the Act say constitutional court’s jurisdiction is barred from entertaining pleas of citizens demanding higher compensation, if, god forbid, an unforeseen unfortunate mishap happens in a nuclear power plant?”During the last hearing, the top court had observed “if total liability after an unforeseen nuclear plant mishap works out to Rs 40,000 crore, the nation in a parliamentary regime can say it can absolve the operator beyond Rs 4,000 crore. But that does not bind courts from determining actual liability of govt towards each citizen affected by the mishap. Nobody can curtail even the powers of tribunals to award adequate compensation”.
