Kathmandu, February 5

Chairperson of the Education and Health Committee of the House of Representatives, Jayapuri Ghari, has submitted report on the Bill on Safe and Peaceful Use of Nuclear and Radioactive Materials-2019 to the House.

Minister of Education, Science and Technology Giriraj Mani Pokharel had presented the bill to the parliamentary panel through the HoR for clause-wise discussion in January 1. Gharti said the committee held 14 meetings on different occasions, which lasted for more than 22 hours to hold clause-wise deliberation on the bill and the committee endorsed it unopposed. Lawmakers, members of the parliamentary panel, experts and stakeholders had participated in the discussion.

The bill envisions to help achieve the goal of national prosperity through developed technology by implementing the commitment by the government to the international community while protecting public health and environment from nuclear and radioactive materials. If endorsed by the Parliament the bill will be the first law on safe and peaceful use of nuclear and radioactive materials in the country.

Nepal had signed Nuclear Weapons Prohibition Treaty in September-2017, during the 72nd United Nations General Assembly. It hadalready become a member of International Atomic Energy Agency in July-2008.

Nepal is not eligible to purchase any nuclear technology without enacting a law. The bill states that there will be a regulation to license institutions that work on technology related to nuclear power. The license cannot be transferred to others. The bill also states that if raw material for producing nuclear energy is found within the territory of Nepal, it will be the government property. According to the bill, if someone without a license uses technology related to nuclear power s/he may be imprisoned for life.