‘Don’t let safeguards curb development of N-energy’

New Delhi, September 20 : Even as India negotiates its safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and hopes the US Senate to pass the Indo-US civilian nuclear cooperation agreement, Anil Kakodkar, chair of the Atomic Energy Commission, has sent a subtle but firm message to the world community that an over emphasis on atomic safeguards may be counter-productive to the enhanced deployment of atomic energy. He reminded the world that India sought 'energy independence' through an effective utilisation of its vast domestic thorium reserves.

Speaking at the ongoing 50th General Conference of the IAEA in Vienna, Kakodkar said "cost-effective safeguards are essential so that the safeguard system does not itself become an hindrance to the development of nuclear power". He said "even with the very slow growth of nuclear power, IAEA safeguards had constituted a large fraction of resources available to the agency" emphasising that out of the current fleet of 443 nuclear power reactors operating in the world, less than half are under IAEA safeguards.

Suggesting that IAEA spends far too much on its monitoring activities, Kakodkar said "we have been constantly reminding the Agency of the need to maintain a balance between its promotional and safeguards-related activities". This, analysts believe, is a clear message that "safeguards have no relevance" for a nuclear weapons state like India.

Further Kakodkar reminded the 144 nation audience gathered in Vienna, half a century after the famous Atoms for Peace event, that "as a responsible state with advanced nuclear technological capabilities, India was prepared to look for institutional as well as technological solutions with enhanced proliferation resistance along with an assured fuel supply, without adversely affecting long-term sustainability of nuclear fuel resources."

Towards this goal of global good, Kakodkar in his 16-minute address, said, "Thorium offers a very important and attractive solution from this perspective and we urge the Agency and its members to give serious consideration of the possibilities offered by the thorium route." It may be noted that India is the only country in the world that is hedging its future nuclear capacity on thorium because the country has a limited supply of uranium ore.

Taking cues from President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam's vision of India's future energy requirements, Kakodkar said, "Thorium utilisation is the long-term core objective of the Indian nuclear programme for providing energy independence on a sustainable basis."

Kakodkar also emphasised that "India considers a closed nuclear fuel cycle of crucial importance...

Ads By Google

Message*	Maximum characters allowed

Name*		Email ID*
Subject*		Country*

TERMS OF USE:
The views, opinions and comments posted are your, and are not endorsed by this website. You shall be solely responsible for the comment posted here. The website reserves the right to delete, reject, or otherwise remove any views, opinions and comments posted or part thereof. You shall ensure that the comment is not inflammatory, abusive, derogatory, defamatory &/or obscene, or contain pornographic matter and/or does not constitute hate mail, or violate privacy of any person (s) or breach confidentiality or otherwise is illegal, immoral or contrary to public policy. Nor should it contain anything infringing copyright &/or intellectual property rights of any person(s).

I agree to the terms of use.