India Nuclear News and Discussion 4 July 2011

MN Kumar · Post by **MN Kumar** » 13 Aug 2012 20:01

India is markedly absent in Europe’s largest science conference notwithstanding early discussions between Irish and Indian officials to have a special session showcasing India’s plan to use thorium reserve to generate nuclear power in the long run.

The reason behind India’s refusal to come to Dublin, however, remains unknown. “We talked with India for holding a special partnership session on thorium-based nuclear power and development of nuclear technology. However, it did not realise for some reasons,” Patrick Cunningham, chief scientific adviser to Ireland government and the principal organiser of Euroscience Open Forum 2012 told Deccan Herald. He, however, did not elaborate on the factors which prevented India's participation in the one of the world’s crucial science show. The spokesperson from the Department of Atomic Energy did not respond to queries on why DAE did not want to participate in an event, attended by more than 4200 delegates, mostly from Europe.

With the European Union committing a budget of 8 billion Euro on science research by 2020, most of the European countries are looking for research partners. The ESOF 2012 provides a platform to find out partners for collaborative research.

India’s neighbours, however, did not miss out on this opportunity. The ESOF 2012 has special sessions in partnership with China (future cities) and ASEAN (a year of science) as well as a special one with Africa on using science for economic development.

New Delhi has recently announced its plans to start building a 300 MWe thorium reactor as a part India’s three-stage programme to utilise its vast thorium reserves that can feed thorium reactors for hundreds of years. But in the absence of any commercial thorium reactor anywhere in the world, a team of nuclear scientists and engineers decided to build the first big thorium reactor from scratch.

The proposed reactor will require 52 tonnes of fuel in its core initially. As the subsequent annual fuel requirement is only 4.7 tonnes, India can sustain on its thorium reserve for hundreds of years.
The ESOF’s invitation came because of the curiosity in international scientific community on India’s plans on thorium utilisation, which poses several engineering challenges.

Nuclear safety, however, remains an important issue for discussions at ESOP 2012 not only because of Fukushima accident last year but also due to some of the European countries’ long-standing ideological opposition to nuclear energy.

Theo_Fidel · Post by **Theo_Fidel** » 14 Aug 2012 01:15

Yes, the same organization SK Jain (x-NPCIL Chief) now heads.

http://www.neimagazine.com/story.asp?se ... de=2062817

AREVA has joined the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) as operator of La Hague nuclear fuel recycling facility in France.

Lilo · Post by **Lilo** » 14 Aug 2012 12:37

PMANE announces August 15 as black day

The People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE) has announced that it would observe the Independence Day as a black day. The fisher folk living in Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari and Thoothukudi districts would hoist black flags in their houses to show their opposition to the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board’s (AERB) decision to grant clearance for filling nuclear fuel in Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP).

In a press release, the organisation said that the Indian nuclear establishment’s decision to accord permission to load fuel in KKNPP has insulted the Madras High Court where a case on KKNPP was pending. The release said that it violated the Constitution and pawned country’s independence with the Russian government.

PMANE said it would support all legal efforts to initiate contempt of court proceedings against the AERB and other institutions.

From August 11, the fishermen of coastal villages in southern districts would boycott fishing until the Madras High Court judgment on the KKNPP was delivered. The shopkeepers in and around these villages would down shutters in support of the struggle, PMANE said.

“The first anniversary of the current anti-nuclear agitation will be commemorated on August 16 at Idinthakarai. Various political and social leaders will participate,” a release said.

Loosers.

Virupaksha · Post by **Virupaksha** » 14 Aug 2012 12:54

Dont forget the most important part of it.
They want to "celebrate" august 15th as a black day.

It is a very very thought out move from them.

nakul · Post by **nakul** » 14 Aug 2012 13:10

^^^

This symbolism happens when the movement runs out of moolah. Their masters are undergoing economic difficulties. They can't afford to pay for biryanis & tents to organise a proper dharna against the plant. It is cheaper to buy a few goondas who will ensure that all stores are closed & the people are "united" against the plant. Looks like the western version of WKKs!!

Pratyush · Post by **Pratyush** » 16 Aug 2012 17:22

Kudankulam nuclear plant: Centre making mockery of Madras HC, say judges

It seems that the plant is not out of the woods yet.

RoyG · Post by **RoyG** » 20 Aug 2012 07:06

First ever conference on molten salt reactors taking place in india. good development.

http://moltensaltindia.org/

KLP Dubey · Post by **KLP Dubey** » 20 Aug 2012 09:47

Virupaksha wrote:Dont forget the most important part of it.
They want to "celebrate" august 15th as a black day.

It is a very very thought out move from them.

Indeed. The bare-a$$ed truth is now out of the bag. It is abundantly clear now that these fellows are all anti-nationals. The anti-nationals who disrupt basic national development needs in the name of being "pro-local", should never be tolerated for too long. How many warnings should these guys need ??

To avoid flooding our prisons on the mainland, we need to have a deportation center specifically for people that go out of their way to earn the "anti-national" qualification. Anyone that declares our Independence Day as a "black day" obviously needs to be provisionally stripped of Indian citizenship rights and sent to such a place. This could be in the Andamans or Antarctica or someplace like that. It would be similar to the Guantanamo Bay operated by USA. This was a very good idea of the Bush administration.

Draconian penalties for energy-related crimes (such as pilfering, disrupting construction, vandalism etc) need to be established. The deportees should be allowed ongoing litigation that will drag on for many years while they cool their heels far away from India.

Namaskar,

KL

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 20 Aug 2012 23:35

FAS:New Nuclear Notebook: Indian Nuclear Forces, 2012

kshatriya · Post by **kshatriya** » 24 Aug 2012 17:12

MKB at it again

http://blogs.rediff.com/mkbhadrakumar/2 ... nal-issue/

Koodankulam agitation is national issue

While the attention of the political class is trained on the ‘Coalgate’ scam, it has been left to a Western news agency to highlight that the Comptroller and Auditor General issued yet another report Wednesday criticising the functioning of India’s Atomic Energy Regulatory Board [AERB] for being an appendage of the government without a mind of its own or a mandate or independent authority and, dismally enough, lacking in a radiation safety policy as such.

It’s a ’scathing’ criticism. Maybe ’shocking’ is the more appropriate word. The CAG report comes at a time when India’s nuclear debate is maturing, finally. The civil society has brought up to national attention the question whether India really needs to depend on nuclear energy. The agitation that mushroomed in faraway Koodankulam has reached the Indian capital and the involvement of high-profile activists such as Aruna Roy all but ensures that this issue is not going to go away.
The government won’t have the option now to resuscitate the old allegation that the Koodankulam agitators are ‘foreign agents’. The national mood is becoming increasingly receptive to the cause of the agitators. Lest it is forgotten, Roy is a member of the National Advisory Council and an experienced social activist who is able to gauge the national mood.
She spoke strongly against “dangerous illusions like pursuing nuclear power. People are resisting these ‘nuclear power’ projects which stand to threaten their lives and livelihoods.” The ‘radiation’ from Fukushima has indeed reached India.
In immediate terms, all eyes are on the Madras High Court which will state its decision next week. The PIL is on Koodankulam plant specifically, but larger issues are involved and it promises to be a landmark judgment. The HC has already pulled up the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board for its shoddy work in clearing the Koodankulam power plant.
The curious part is the deafening silence of our political class. That is, with the solitary exception of one stalwart from Kerala — V. Achuthanandan.

gakakkad · Post by **gakakkad** » 24 Aug 2012 20:04

From the FAS report...

India is estimated to have produced
approximately 520 kilograms of weapons-grade plutonium (IPFM, 2011), sufficient for 100”130 nuclear warheads;
however, not all of the material has
been converted into warheads. Based
on available information about its
nuclear-capable delivery vehicles, we
estimate that India has produced
80”100 nuclear warheads. It will need
more warheads to arm the new missiles
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
68(4) 96–101
! The Author(s) 2012
Reprints and permissions:
sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav
DOI: 10.1177/0096340212451431
http://thebulletin.sagepub.com
Downloaded from bos.sagepub.com by guest on August 24, 2012it is currently developing. In addition
to the Dhruva plutonium production
reactor near Mumbai, India plans to
construct a second reactor near
Visakhapatnam, on the east coast. India
is building an unsafeguarded prototype
fast-breeder reactor at the Indira Gandhi
Centre for Atomic Research near
Kalpakkam (about 1,000 kilometers or
620 miles south of Visakhapatnam),
which will significantly increase IndiaÕs
plutonium production capacity once it
becomes operational.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 24 Aug 2012 21:15

FAS is propaganda(u) material.

India is a NWS and part of the NSG fuel group. So what goes their father whether Kalpakkam PFBR is safe guarded or not? Anyway FBR was not safeguarded for tech develop purposes and not pu mfg purposes.
Again adding 2 and 2 and coming up with 420.
BTW in the run-up to the deal MMS had stated there will be a new non-civilian Pu reactor to make up for shutting down the CIRRUS reactor.

Ravi Karumanchiri · Post by **Ravi Karumanchiri** » 30 Aug 2012 14:28

X-POSTED from the 'India-Canada, Mexico and South America' thread...

Pressure mounts on [Canadian PM] Harper to ease nuclear logjam with India

SHAWN McCARTHY and STEPHANIE NOLEN
OTTAWA and NEW DELHI — The Globe and Mail
Published Wednesday, Aug. 29 2012, 10:34 PM EDT
Last updated Thursday, Aug. 30 2012, 3:09 AM EDT

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/wor ... le4509067/

Prime Minister Stephen Harper faces an acid test in his courtship of India as the two countries struggle to rescue a nuclear cooperation agreement that remains stuck at a diplomatic impasse.

With Mr. Harper expected to travel to India in November with a delegation of business leaders, there is growing pressure to break the negotiating logjam and ease Ottawa’s traditional non-proliferation safeguards to allow Canadian companies to cash in on India’s growing energy appetite.
...

<SNIP>

“I understand from the Canadian side that they are not going to have any intrusive safeguards … They just want a piece of paper from India every year saying, ‘Look, this is the material we got of Canadian origin and this is its location,’” Mr. Ganguly said.

“It has now become an ego clash – who is going to break the ice and give up his ego – and in the process we in the business community are suffering,” he added.

hnair · Post by **hnair** » 30 Aug 2012 19:40

Shree Homi Jehangir Bhaba's plane, The Kanchenjunga

India diplomatic bag found in French Alps after 46 year

46 years later, Indian diplomatic bag discovered on Mt Blanc

James B · Post by **James B** » 30 Aug 2012 21:20

Atomic power plants in India - Present and Future. A list

List

nelson · Post by **nelson** » 31 Aug 2012 13:33

Madras HC gives nod for Kudankulam project

nakul · Post by **nakul** » 09 Sep 2012 19:16

Over 1,000 people gather near Kudankulam nuclear power plant, situation tense

We are saved! Udaykumar and his band of merry men are holding the ground against the govt's attempts to spread radiation and cancer among God's chosen. May God bless him.

kshatriya · Post by **kshatriya** » 09 Sep 2012 19:25

Its very strange/suspicious that the scum is still out and Amma has not taken any action against him.

He has announced an award of 5L for people who die protesting

Pictures from the Protest https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =1&theater

nakul · Post by **nakul** » 10 Sep 2012 18:30

It seems someone has bagged the prize

Anti-Kudankulam protests turn violent, 1 reportedly killed

Congrats!

vishvak · Post by **vishvak** » 10 Sep 2012 19:28

This after the Madras high court approving go ahead?
Madras High Court gives go ahead to Kudankulam nuclear power plant
So this after clearances.

There was a PIL specifically mentioning Russian plants link

The PIL has also sought a ban on Russian reactors to be installed at the plant.

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 11 Sep 2012 06:11

So scumbag,sh*tworm,traitor Udaykumar and his cassocked crony have fled the scene to their hideout after causing mayhem ,after according to the police their mob-incited violence had definite plans to attack the N-plant.Why the GOI/GOTN had not arrested this perverted scorpion,fat on the funds of his firang paymasters,and tried for treason beats me.I think the two authorities misunderstood his betrayal of the nation completely.They assumed that with the TN HCs verdict the protests would as in any normal democratic society fizzle out.But here a more insidious masterplan is at work with the firang paymasters wanting to sabotage the Russian built N-plant at any cost and destroy India's N-power plans,simply because the western nations refuse to sign on the dotted line for N-liability which our parliament has passed!

The uneducated mob has been roused and sent into action while the traitorous pigs leading them have vanished after blood has spilt.These swine must be found and crushed totally by the available means that the GOI has under the law.An example must be made of these swine so that any one else who dares to take the law into their own hands and tries to sabotage a N-plant must get his or her just desserts.Udaykuma and his crony in a cassock must face the consequences.The CM of TN JJ,mut use maximum force to bring the situ under control as allowing it to fester and succeed will see all N-plants in TN-at Kalpakkam too,and in the country at risk from firang sabotage.

Suppiah · Post by **Suppiah** » 11 Sep 2012 06:23

*** Agree..Amma has to get tough. The treacherous agendas of NGOs has to be exposed. Even Shinde is talking about it. The problem is TN, though a advanced state in many ways, is also terribly backward in other respects. Marinated in the twin septic tanks of *mk politics of crass idol worship and Kolloywood for decades now, it is so easy to get a few rowdies to come out and throw stones. All you do is hire a lorry, get enough liquor and promise rewards. With western funding that is not tough at all.

But remember, this is not just a west versus east thing. Beijing puppets and their yellows are fishing in this pond too....instead of condemning the involvement of evanjelist fanatics in instigating the mob, puppet yellows are describing their action as 'clarion call'. Funds sent from west for the conversion business and harvesting souls is now being used to destroy india through other means.

And the poor mango Tamilian is falling for it...

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 11 Sep 2012 07:05

The current phase of violence in Kudankulam area would have been avoided had the State Government isolated Udayakumar, Pushparayan, Jesuraj etc right at the very beginning. They allowed them a long rope, probably for electoral reasons. From here,

The agitators forcibly took away four police personnel, including two women, to a marriage hall at Periyathaalai and released in the evening.

Protestors had plans to attack KKNPP - DGP
A quick reaction from Amnesty International

kshatriya · Post by **kshatriya** » 11 Sep 2012 08:57

Its seems very well planned and coordinated this time... T shirts r printed, There are minute by minute updates of facebook, photos posted periodically and now Some art College students in Chennai have jumped into this. And so do the Dalit Organizations...

There are some NGO's distributing Pictures online and infuriating the Christian Tamils

As usual MDMK and PMK are adding fuel to fire..

Everyone is suprised than Udhayakumar is still roaming scott free and was never arrested inspite of several cases being slapped on him.

viveks · Post by **viveks** » 11 Sep 2012 15:51

The people who carried out this attack should be stripped of indian citizenship. If this was US...they would have forcefully picked these people up and thrown them out of the country ...probably sri-lanka. They are creating problem for the administration of this country...rather than living peacefully. IF the government gets into their lives (their way of making a living)...only then will they realize and go about their own business. The government should take away their Id-cards..etc..and start treating them as migrants...and probably open another guantanamo-bay like area for such people.

nelson · Post by **nelson** » 11 Sep 2012 19:00

Supreme Court moved against HC go ahead to Kudankulam

Aditya_V · Post by **Aditya_V** » 11 Sep 2012 20:26

Look, I dont agree with the protestors, We need to expose Udaykumar and CO. But we cannot strip anyone of Indian citizenship, they are part of this nation.

As long people protest keeping a safe distance from the Plant it should be fine and restrain from making Hate speeches and take part in rumour mongering about impending doom.

Suppiah · Post by **Suppiah** » 11 Sep 2012 21:31

The govt should rope in Christian leaders that are pro-progress to defeat the anti national agendas of the evangelical fanatics. That way the issue does not become communal. I am sure lot of Christian scientists and others can come forward to take the care directly to the people and defeat the dollar funded traitors.

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 11 Sep 2012 21:44

What our state and central agencies/govts. have failed to understand that the masterplan for the agitations/protests are coming in from abroad! This is not an Udayakumar,cassocked priest and cronies operation at all but a far more sinister conspiracy,where the methods of agitations and protests and sabotage have been well oiled and time-tested in other countries,as we are seeing in the Arab world today.

As was very correctly pointed out in an above post,the local leaders/puppets of this sinister conspiracy should've been picked up long ago,cases slapped against them for treason,etc., and the details of their paymasters obtained from them.We already have it officially that colossal funding of the agitation from abroad has poured into the pockets of dozens of NGOs who have misused these funds in anti-national activities.Udayakumar and co. have achieved their first objective,to see that blood was spilled so that they could swiftly put into action stage 2 of the operation ,to engineer statewide protests ,using quislings,students,,etc.,and create more havoc.The state govt. should use this opportunity to clean up the entire state of such anti-national swine and arrest the entire leadership of those behind the agits.The simultaneous demos against India playing Lanka in cricket is NOT a coincidence.As I said right from the beginning,the Eelam brigade is deeply involved as well.Both entities serve western masters.

PS:Suppiah has a point,that at this early stage the GOTN should act fast and isolate the agitators,as they are going against the HC verdict and are taking the law into their own hands.

kshatriya · Post by **kshatriya** » 11 Sep 2012 21:49

Does Udayakumar have an Indian Passport or a Khan Passport ? He has been there for a very long time...

Theo_Fidel · Post by **Theo_Fidel** » 11 Sep 2012 23:09

Suppiah wrote:The govt should rope in Christian leaders that are pro-progress to defeat the anti national agendas of the evangelical fanatics. That way the issue does not become communal. I am sure lot of Christian scientists and others can come forward to take the care directly to the people and defeat the dollar funded traitors.

I don't think it is that easy. This will go on for a long time as I pointed out earlier as long as such Paki statements are made and a Nuclear consensus is not evolved. I don't remember anyone else in TN raising their hand and offering 5,000 acres of land for perpetuity. Its not a question of defeat this or that, which is complete nonsense. The folks are going to be living next to the plant for 1000+ years. Long after it is decommissioned. How long are you going to watch them for? But I guess genocide has already been thrown out casually.

TN is different because the communities look out for only themselves due to a long painful history. From the poison on this board you can see why that is unlikely to change. I would advise the Kudankulam folk to look out for themselves. No one else has their best interests in mind.

Meanwhile......

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/21669812 ... z26BRrCVuc

However, Mr Gopalakrishnan said India’s nuclear establishment, in which he spent his career before retiring in 1996, was ill-suited to the task of managing such an expansion. Indian nuclear scientists worked isolated from the international community, with little separation between military and civilian nuclear programmes, resulting in a culture of intense secrecy and an expectation of working free from outside scrutiny.

Mr Gopalakrishnan said such high-handedness could backfire badly in an era of rapid public mobilisation.

“This attitude comes because there was an intermixing of peaceful and non-peaceful activities in the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), so they could easily argue that every nook and corner will have to be top secret,” he said. “The mindset of these characters has not changed.”

Last month, India’s independent auditor general also raised concern about the nuclear regulatory framework, warning that the AERB lacked sufficient independence and needed a stronger process of safety inspections of nuclear facilities.

nakul · Post by **nakul** » 11 Sep 2012 23:17

I really miss Amber G's insightful posts. The thought that a certain nuclear plant in Tarapur and research nuclear plant in Trombay is missing in some of us. The last time I checked MUmbai had a population of 1.3 crore packed into a tiny island. Most of it is electricity supplied from oldest nuclear plant in India. Mumbaikars are yet to be affected by the nuclear plant. Yet we see that the folks from far away areas coming to work to Mumbai. Perhaps they are of a different breed than the people of Kudankulam. BTW, how many people died from Fukushima. The only way that plant at Kudankulam is going to affect people is if Sri Lanka bombs it.

RoyG · Post by **RoyG** » 11 Sep 2012 23:25

Some noise will go on here and there but the plant will be built. What you are seeing is the last desperate attempt for air of a strangulated movement.

Katare · Post by **Katare** » 12 Sep 2012 00:26

How many people died of nuclear radiation leak at japan?

How many died due to Tsunami?

How many people died from digging cole over last century? How many still die each year?

Nuclear power is probably the safest bet for Environment Health and Safety.

kshatriya · Post by **kshatriya** » 12 Sep 2012 01:51

Look who is here....

http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/tam ... epage=true

A day after the protests against the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) took a violent turn, there was drama on Tuesday when the agitation’s coordinator, S.P. Udayakumar, was taken away by a group of men just as he was explaining his decision to surrender to the police. In a late night twist, anti-corruption activist Arvind Kejriwal turned up at the protest venue and declared that Dr. Udayakumar should not surrender.

“He should continue with his struggle against nuclear power,” said Mr. Kejriwal, who met Dr. Udayakumar, coordinator of the People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy, and returned to address protesters at Idinthakarai.

Earlier, Dr. Udayakumar was taken away in a boat in the middle of a speech in the course of which he broke down amidst appeals by his supporters that he should not surrender. His much-expected surrender did not materialise till midnight.

Meanwhile, officials said the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) finished yet another inspection and preparations for loading enriched uranium in the first of the two reactors were over.

As fuel-loading is expected to begin 48 hours after a final inspection, the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited brass, including its Chairman and Managing Director K.C. Purohit, are camping here to monitor exercises that would subsequently mark the criticality of the first reactor.

Though the AERB gave its mandatory approval for fuel-loading, the KKNPP invited it to do one more inspection. Subsequently, an AERB team was dispatched.

The Goal of this seems to be something else and not just stopping Koodankulam..There are now posts by those who were posting updates about the Protest that "armed" protests will be inevitable... No wonder LTTE elements are also backing this

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 12 Sep 2012 01:55

Something odd is happeneing here. Try to make a graphic/table of the protestors and their supporters.

nakul · Post by **nakul** » 12 Sep 2012 11:26

http://www.firstpost.com/politics/churc ... 28719.html

Their attempts to “harvest souls” and proselytise aid beneficiaries at a time of supreme grief came in for criticism.

And although similar attempts at proselytisation of tsunami victims in Indonesia drew protests from the government there, the church groups received no such pushback from Indian authorities.

In fact, even in Kudankulam, although the protest against the nuclear project began as a secular movement intended to raise awareness about the hazards of nuclear plants, the agitation has in recent months been appropriated by the church.

The role of the church in the Dravidian politics of southern India has been clinically analysed by Rajiv Malhotra and Aravida Neelakandan in their book Breaking India: Western Interventions in Dravidian and Dalit Faultlines.

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 12 Sep 2012 16:21

Allowing these fringe elements to prosper and not bringing them to book ,as in the anti-Lankan acts of violence against pilgrims,etc.,has only emboldened anti-social and vested interests.To see Kejriwal also jumping into the picture shows his utter bankruptcy of ideology.He is fast becoming a professional agitator and agent provocateur.

As for those whose hearts bleed for the locals around KKM,shedding crocodile tears,why have they not even made one protest for the locals around Kalpakkam and those in Madras city? For decades they've enjoyed power from Kalpakkam without uttering a squeak of protest,but now shamelessly pontificate against N-power N-power! Why doesn't zero Kejriwal also protest in other parts of the country where N-plants are already in operation...say at Trombay for instance? I know of scientists who've lived for decades there without any harmful impact and are now enjoying their retirement happily.

I cannot understand why the GO-MMS is so abjectly impotent against these protests which then beggars another Q.Is the GO-MMS also part of the conspiracy,as it has been promoting the case for American reactors,without N-liability,now holding up any contracts wit the yanquis? Is ths an insidious attempt to try and bring India's N-industry to its knees until we abolish the N-liability clauses that was passed by parliament? The snakes like Kejriwal are coming out of the holes,past time to strike.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 12 Sep 2012 16:35

Philip wrote:. . . pontificate . . .

That seems to be the problem.

Pratyush · Post by **Pratyush** » 12 Sep 2012 17:42

India, Canada to fast-track nuclear deal

Great news, lets hope that deal gets finalised and operationalised quickly.