President Draupadi Murmu gave assent to the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill, formally opening up Indiaās nuclear energy sector to private players for the very first time.
Nuclear power, right from the mining to the final harnessing of energy, is among the most hazardous and tightly regulated industries in the world. that comes with risks at each step of the process. We have seen endless accounts of displacement due to mining, the serious health impacts on communities around the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant, and the still-continuing effects of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy that happened over 40 years ago. For any sane, people-centric government, these would have been lessons and reasons to be more stringent regarding nuclear power. However, the Central Government seems to have done just the opposite.
Introduced barely a month after the Adani Group publicly expressed interest in the nuclear power sector, the SHANTI Act not only allows license to be granted to āany company or any person expressly permitted by the Central Governmentā, but it also restricts liability in the event of an accident exclusively to the nuclear plant owner, effectively insulating suppliers and contractors from responsibility. Apart from narrowing down who carries the blame, the Government has also restricted who can file complaints – only those authorised by the Central Government or the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), an authority very closely tied with the Central Government. Those affected by the nuclear disaster or civil society organisations or even the State Governments arenāt allowed to raise complaints. To add to possible carelessness, the Government has also added provisions to exempt certain facilities or activities from licensing requirements if their potential risks are deemed āinsignificant.ā Transparency, too, is a casualty. This Act allows for certain information to be withheld from public disclosure, overriding the RTI Act.
Beyond questions of safety and accountability lies an equally important concern: cost. Nuclear power is among the most expensive sources of electricity on a per-megawatt basis. Nuclear projects require significantly higher upfront capital, longer construction timelines, and long-term financial commitments. These costs ultimately flow back to consumers and taxpayers, raising serious questions about whether nuclear power represents a prudent use of public resources.
With the SHANTI Act, once again, the NDA Government has shown its absolute disregard for both people and the environment. With this free pass given to domestic and international nuclear interests and a gag and a noose given to anyone critical of them, this Act hammers another nail into the coffin of democratic accountability in India.
– Team CFA
