India's Nuclear Energy Industry faces Numerous External and Internal Hurdles

India has ambitious plans for the growth of its Nuclear Energy Industry to meets its increasing Energy Demand.India’s Economy has been growing at a scorching pace over the last few years making the Energy Demand increase exponentially.Electricity Demand in India far outstrips the Supply with peak supply demand shortage in the 20% range.India’s government realizes that it needs all sources of power to meet the energy demand.India’s landmark Nuclear Deal with the United States was supposed to usher in a new age of nuclear power,however that dream is getting pushed to the backburner because of numerous external and internal hurdles.The main problems are listed below

1) China using Pakistan as a proxy to create hurdles at the Nuclear Suppliers Group

2) The Nuclear Liability Bill getting delayed in the Parliament

Call to scrap Nuclear Liability Bill – Hindu

A Public Consultation on the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill 2010 on Wednesday held it unconstitutional and violative of the right to life and demanded that it be scrapped.The Bill is currently with the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, which in an advertisement on June 24 had called for wider consultations to include public opinion on the Bill.

3) Environment Ministry rejecting the Nuclear Plant applications

Four new proposed nuke plants hit green hurdle  -ET

Four new nuclear power plants proposed by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd have hit a green roadblock with the environment and forests ministry rejecting their intial applications for statutory environmental clearances.
The NPCIL has proposed four power plants, one each at Fatehabad in Haryana (2,800mw), Mandla in Madhya Pradesh (1,400mw), Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh (6,000mw) and Bhavnagar in Gujarat (6,000mw). NPCIL intends to build these plants in three years once construction gets underway.

The Nuclear Liability Bill is stalled in the Parliament as political parties are vehemently against capping of private players liability in the case of nuclear accidents.The resolution of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy case has left a bitter taste in every one’s mouth as Union Carbide escaped with almost no damages after causing the world’s biggest industrial disaster.The Environment Ministry has also rejected the applications of 4 Nuclear Power Plants as incomplete.The building of large scale power plants based on nuclear technology can take from 5-10 years in obtaining permissions,siting,building and commissioning.With such a large number of problems affecting the Nuclear Industry in India,it looks like we are going to see new nuclear plants in India after long delays if at all.