Retired scientists have again planted the red flag on the Indo-US nuclear deal, rejecting the Bill in its current shape. But in doing so, they have overlooked an important fact that the Department of Atomic Energy, in its vision document, has set a target of generating 20,000 MW power by 2020. Of this, the DAE envisages 8,000 MW to be produced by six light water reactors imported from other countries.

This import is impossible without the nuclear deal (the Bill is to be signed tomorrow by US President George W Bush). Perhaps, that is the reason why the DAE is more cautious in its response and is inclined to wait until the final 123 agreement is negotiated. However, former DAE heads are willing to go to the extent of taking a relook at these targets as the Bill passed by the US Congress is unacceptable to them.

‘‘We are disappointed by the end product which is different from what was agreed on July 18. If the end product remains the same, then the deal is unacceptable to us. It is a natural corollary that DAE will then have to revise its targets,’’ former DAE head M S Srinivasan, who opposed the Bill in its final shape, told The Indian Express.

It is important to note here that these targets were set well before the deal was firmed up. ‘‘We are going in for import of light water technology as an external additionality in order to accelerate our nuclear power programme. This, however, requires overcoming certain constraints imposed by international politics. Any reasonable world order can only expect countries to fulfill their international safeguards commitments and no more than that,’’ says the DAE vision document.

... contd.