THE leakage of heavy water in the unit one of the Kakrapar Atomic Power Station (KAPS-1) has once again raised fears about the safety and reliability of the nuclear power plants in the country. As per the sketchy reports emanating, there was a moderately large leakage of heavy water in Kakrapar on March 11, 2016. The power plant has been shut down and inspection is on by the scientists from the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) to assess the nature and seriousness of the accident and to ensure that the safety of the plant is assured. Coming at a time when the fifth anniversary of the Fukushima disaster is being observed, the Kakrapar incident is a sobering reminder that there is much wanting in the safety of the nuclear power plants in India. It is not only the older power plants where the question of safety and reliability arises, the newly-constructed power plants are also affected. The Kudankulam nuclear power plant units 1 and 2 are the latest example. The Kudankulam unit 1 became operationalised after long delays at the end of December 2014. Since then the plant has suffered repeated disruptions and shut downs for repairs. Even after all these, the plant is generating less than its rated capacity with the load factor of 20 percent between April 2015 and January 2016. This means only 20 percent electricity is being generated at full power. The Kudankulam unit 2 is still to become operational despite repeated deadlines. It is estimated that the two units will cost Rs 22,462 crores. The problems plaguing the plant are being attributed to the supply of some sub-standard equipment by the Russian company. Thus the safety fears raised by the local people at the time of the construction of Kudankulam appear fully justified. The viability of civilian nuclear power, the huge costs involved and the long delays and overruns, apart from the safety factor, are issues which should be of vital concern for the people. The nuclear establishment in the country represented by the Department of Atomic Energy, the Atomic Energy Commission and the Nuclear Power Corporation are notorious for their lack of transparency and lack of independent regulation. The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board is under the DAE. The efforts to set up an independent Nuclear Safety Regulatory Authority have not materialised since the legislation introduced in parliament was not adopted during the last Lok Sabha. The concerned Standing Committee had made some relevant recommendations to ensure the autonomy and independence of the regulatory authority but the government has not shown any willingness to get the legislation through parliament. After the Indo-US nuclear deal, the government has embarked on a plan to import nuclear power plants from France and the United States on a large scale. Sites in Jaitapur, Mithi Virdhi and Kovvada are expected to host nuclear parks with up to six reactors at each site. These are going to be imported at exorbitant costs which will make the cost of electricity provided unviable and also unsustainable. It is to facilitate these imported reactors that the Modi government is working to undermine the civil nuclear liability law passed by parliament. Not only are there inadequate safety standards in place, the government is also working to ensure that the Indian people do not get any guarantee of compensation and rehabilitation in case of nuclear accidents and the resultant damage. The Kakrapar leakage should impel the government to stop proceeding with any new nuclear project in the country. The harmful policy of importing nuclear reactors and diluting the liability law to facilitate the foreign nuclear companies must be reversed. There has to be a comprehensive safety audit of the nuclear plants in the country. There has to be an independent nuclear regulatory authority without which there can be no credible safety and risk assessment of the nuclear power plants. (March 15, 2016)