(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, the acquisition rights shall vest exclusively with the Central Government in respect of the following, namely:—
(a) any prescribed substance;
(b) any mine or mineral or material or right to work on such mine or mineral from which, in the opinion of the Central Government, any of the prescribed substance can be obtained;
(c) any radioactive substance;
(d) any prescribed equipment; or
(e) any plant designed or adapted for—
(i) the mining or processing of prescribed substances or any minerals from which prescribed substances can be obtained;
(ii) the production or use of any prescribed substance or radioactive substance; or
(iii) the production, use or disposal of such substance as are likely to be required for or in connection with the production, use or disposal of nuclear energy or for research into matters connected therewith.
(2) In case a plant or any reactor is abandoned at any stage after its commissioning or after the initial nuclear fuel loading, regardless of cause, all acquisition rights shall vest in the Central Government, including assets thereof free from all encumbrances.
(3) The manner in which acquisition shall be carried out in this section shall be such as may be prescribed.
36 of 2003.
Sec. 1] THE GAZETTE OF INDIA EXTRAORDINARY 2323
(4) The compensation payable in respect of acquisition under this section shall be determined and paid in accordance with section 36.
(5) No acquisition of any mine or mineral, concentrate, other material, substance, equipment or plant under this section shall be deemed to be a sale for any purpose whatsoever.
(6) Upon acquisition of any plant or reactor under this section, the Central Government shall take such measures as may be necessary, for—
(a) the development and safe operation of the plant;
(b) the disposal of the prescribed substance;
(c) spent fuel management;
(d) waste management; and
(e) decommissioning, decontamination or dismantling of the plant and site remediation, and levy such cost on the licensee for any of the aforesaid activities as it may deem fit.