The world
has been anxiously witnessing Japan's heroic struggle at containing
the radiation from its nuclear power stations damaged by the
earthquake and tsunami of 11 March. Alarmed by the its magnitude,
several countries have been gearing up to review the status of their
existing and proposed nuclear power programmes.
How is India responding to this crisis?
As usual, there has been a flurry of statements and opinions, most of them crass attempts at promoting the political and business agenda behind India's proposed $150 billion investments in the nuclear power sector. Remember how the USA lobbied hard for a nuclear energy agreement (to prise open the country's high value market to the cash starved economies of the world), and how the Indian government walked into the trap). Also recall how a deal to purchase six EPRs (European Pressurised Reactors) from the Paris-based AREVA at a cost of around $10.0 billion for the proposed nuclear power project at Jaithapur in Maharashtra was pushed through hurriedly, during the visit of the French President to India in December 2010.
It is a matter of concern that not a single reactor of the type being offered, has been commissioned anywhere in the world until now. Additionally, consider the fact that Jaithapur with a history of seismic activity, experienced 92 earthquakes between 1985 and 2005, the biggest one registering 6.2 on the Richter scale.
How is India responding to this crisis?
As usual, there has been a flurry of statements and opinions, most of them crass attempts at promoting the political and business agenda behind India's proposed $150 billion investments in the nuclear power sector. Remember how the USA lobbied hard for a nuclear energy agreement (to prise open the country's high value market to the cash starved economies of the world), and how the Indian government walked into the trap). Also recall how a deal to purchase six EPRs (European Pressurised Reactors) from the Paris-based AREVA at a cost of around $10.0 billion for the proposed nuclear power project at Jaithapur in Maharashtra was pushed through hurriedly, during the visit of the French President to India in December 2010.
It is a matter of concern that not a single reactor of the type being offered, has been commissioned anywhere in the world until now. Additionally, consider the fact that Jaithapur with a history of seismic activity, experienced 92 earthquakes between 1985 and 2005, the biggest one registering 6.2 on the Richter scale.
Being the
only nation in the world to bear a nuclear holocaust during the
second world war, and continuing to experience around 1500
earthquakes every year, Japan's adherence to safety has been beyond
compromise. Yet the country is facing a calamity today.
At the height of this catastrophe, comes a comment from S K Jain, CMD of the Nuclear Power Corporation of India:
"There is no nuclear accident or incident in Japan's Fukushima plants. It is a well planned emergency preparedness programme, which the nuclear operators of the Tokyo Electric Power Company are carrying out to contain the residual heat after the plants had an automatic shut-down following a major earthquake."
Show us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us salvation...
At the height of this catastrophe, comes a comment from S K Jain, CMD of the Nuclear Power Corporation of India:
"There is no nuclear accident or incident in Japan's Fukushima plants. It is a well planned emergency preparedness programme, which the nuclear operators of the Tokyo Electric Power Company are carrying out to contain the residual heat after the plants had an automatic shut-down following a major earthquake."
Show us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us salvation...
If Japan which is so prone to earthquakes and which prides itself on its technological prowess can be so helpless then only God can save us if tomorrow a disaster of such magnitude may strike us!
ReplyDeletewe are into a dangerous arms race...and the problem is that we cannot stop...Nehru thought 'hindi-chini' bhai bhai...china replied with a bloody war against us...as long as the enemies keep threatening us we cannot stop wasting our money in defending ourselves...bitter truth
ReplyDeleteWe can save ourselves, and must stop the nuclear madness. Keep writing the truth!
ReplyDeleteThis is so sad!
ReplyDelete