New Delhi: Under fire from the Opposition BJP and Left parties, the UPA government was forced to defer the contentious Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill. The bill was scheduled to be tabled in Lok Sabha today.

 

The bill was included in the list of business for the day. However, the Opposition strongly protested against this and demanded to move a motion for the withdrawal of the bill from the agenda.

 

Later, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar said that the government does not intend to introduce the bill in the house today. PM Dr. Manmohan Singh wanted this bill to be passed in Parliament ahead of his US visit in April 2010.

 

The bill pegs the maximum amount of liability in case of each nuclear accident at Rs 300 crore to be paid by the operator of the nuclear plant.

 

This is a requirement of the 123 Civil Nuclear Agreement between India and the US. Private companies in the US won't sell any nuclear equipment to India, if this is not approved.