My Blogs : First Opinion ; Radiation Protection Issues ; My Voice

My Website : www.radsafetyinfo.com

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

ARM-TWISTING IN INDO-US NUCLEAR DEAL

Negotiations are going tough for the Indian side on the 123 agreement for civil nuclear cooperation. It is true that we need nuclear fuel to meet our committed nuclear power projected for the future. But at the same time, India should not at any cost compromise on their right for reprocessing their own spent fuel from the PHWR Reactors.

World today, recognizes India as a nuclear super power in view of the fact that India has considerable expertise in the entire nuclear fuel cycle operations, starting from mining, fuel fabrication, reactor operations, reprocessing, waste management and recycle of the plutonium obtained from the spent fuel reprocessing back in the fast breeder reactors. We are able to produce enough heavy water required for its own use and even the country is able to export the same to the so-called developed countries. In the field of radioisotopes applications, the country is doing exceptionally well, particularly the usage in the medical and industrial applications. Indian mangos will soon reach US homes after irradiation to treat weevils and fruit fly as per the US Standard.

Now:

1. If India can do so well in almost all nuclear related fields, why anybody should feel that India is not responsible enough to be accepted as a full-fledged Nuclear Power?

2. India on its own has developed the reprocessing technology over the years and one can be sure that it does not need anybody’s help in the field. Why there should be restrictions on the reprocessing when India needs the plutonium obtained from the reprocessing operations for its future nuclear power programs? This is the larger picture that everybody should see.

3. The proposed ban on tests is not very relevant at this juncture. Tests need to be carried out to keep in tune with the newer developments taking place in the neighboring countries. National security can not be negotiated on a tabletop.