MUMBAI, OCT 29: With the detailed project report with regard to purchase of two 1000 mw Advanced Light Water Reactors (ALWR) reactors from Russia to be set up in Kudankulam already underway, India will have its fingers in all technologies related to nuclear power production. The experimental Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) has been performing satisfactorily. A prototype (PBTR) is also being designed and developed and is "progressing well". Also, the experience of indigenising the Canadian pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWR) is giving way to advanced heavy water reactor (AHWR) being designed by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre. The AHWR is different from the PHWR in the use of source fuel.While PHWRs use natural uranium, the AHWR is being designed to use a fuel mixture of plutonium and Uranium-233. It was a vintage R Chidambaram, Chairman Atomic Energy Commission and Secretary, Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) making these announcements while addressing the BARC fraternity on the occasion ofFounder's Day. His address was largely focussed on the phenomenal progress made in the nuclear power sector, though the non-power, non-weapons related nuclear technology also received attention. It was Anil Kakodkar, Director, BARC making a traditional address detailing BARC's achievements in every department. The AHWR and the prototype fast breeder reactor being developed aim at entering the third stage of India's nuclear policy that is to exploit the vast thorium resources. The U-233 is derivative of thorium processing. "We are just about perfecting the PHWR technology and we are already rushing to buy PWRs from Russia. With this there is no form of nuclear power technology we have left untouched," said a BARC scientist in casual conversation.Chidambaram came down heavily on those who doubted the safety record of the performance of the Indian Nuclear Industry. Criticising former AERB chief Gopalakrishnan without naming him for predicting, "there may be a nuclear accident in India in the not-so-distantfuture", Chidambaram ascribed this to "technological diffidence", an attitude that leads to "technological colonialism". He also strongly criticised those who doubted the Pokharan yields in the last year's tests. Chidambaram claimed that most seismic specialists abroad endorsed the success of the tests and the attempts by one small group of "experts" to question the yields reflected "either deliberate disinformation or honest incompetence."The AEC supremo also took exception to reports that the Jaduguda uranium mines were responsible for the diseases in the area. He said expert medical teams had conducted exhaustive medical survey and had reached the conclusion that "malnutrition and poverty" were the main causes and their diseases had nothing to with radiation exposure. In support of his contentions, Chidambaram added: "I must add that the correct picture has been published in leading newspapers like The Indian Express after their correspondents visited Jaduguda." Referring to the nuclear accident inTokaimura, Chidambaram said that the AERB had gone into ll the details and reached the conclusion that such accidents could not happen in India. He said, however, "as a measure of abundant caution," the AERB had asked for a "re-examination of all relevant plants and that is being done." Chidambaram stressed that it has "been recognised all over the world that our safety record is very good and this is because no directive of the AERB has ever been violated." Later, awards were given away to scientists for excellence in their respective fields. The Homi Bhabha Science & Technology Award was given to Dr P K Gupta of the Centre for Advanced Technology, Indore and Dr B N Jagtap of the BARC. The Technical Excellence Awards went to Dr P K Vijayan and Dr D P Fulzele, both from the BARC.
