Since we hold more than 25 per cent of global thorium reserves, India should consider switching completely to thorium-based nuclear reactors as they are far safer than the uranium-based ones.

While the Prime Minister has assured the nation that safety of our nuclear reactors will be ensured, how do you expect the citizenry to believe this in a scam supreme country amidst media reports of ‘cash for votes’, including in facilitating the Indo-US nuclear deal, ISRO Chief misleading the Parliament on the spectrum issue, commercial airliners being flown by pseudo pilots and the like? How do you believe that nuclear safety certification, when provided, will not be faked? After all if Fukushima gets replicated in India, the misery of the citizenry can always be shrouded by the usual political blame game in a chaotic Parliament.

Following the Mayapuri radiation incident, where many persons are still suffering from radiation exposure courtesy Cobalt-60 pencils from an irradiator from a Delhi University laboratory, scrap workers continue to deal with all kinds of waste including from laboratories. No effort has been made to survey facilities holding such equipment. Where are our decontamination centres? Do all X-ray facilities in the national capital adhere to the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board regulations? But, then we can always rely on God and as they say atheists start believing in God when they come to India.

That being the cynically lighter side, the issue of nuclear safety is vitally important - technical review of all safety systems of the nuclear power is indeed essential. Suspension of nuclear power in India is unlikely courtesy the Indo-US nuclear deal, notwithstanding after effects of Fukushima (like Chernobyl) continuing for generations. India will need to generate energy from all possible sources to meet future requirements but should certainly not blindly import vintage technology nuclear reactors from the US or for that matter any other country. Neither should any future nuclear facility be set up in earthquake prone areas. Jaitapur (Maharashtra) and Haripur (West Bengal) are reportedly in seismic zones.

Our Kakrapar nuclear reactor being the world’s first using thorium and since we hold more than 25 per cent of global thorium reserves (IAEA puts it at 67 per cent — almost two-thirds of global reserves), India should consider switching completely to thorium-based nuclear reactors as they are far safer than the uranium-based ones. Most significantly, a thorium nuclear reactor has “no possibility of a meltdown”. Thorium cannot sustain a nuclear chain reaction without priming, as a result of which fission stops by default. Though thorium does require start-up by neutrons from a uranium reactor, from thereon this activated thorium reactor can activate other thorium reactors discounting any further requirement of uranium. Compared to uranium, thorium does not require enrichment, has superior physical and nuclear properties and much reduced nuclear waste production. One tonne of thorium can produce same energy as 200 tonnes of uranium, or 35,00,000 tonnes of coal. Of course it is harder (not impossible) to extract weapon grade fissile material from a thorium reactor but then how many nukes do we need? Thorium being the future of nuclear energy, we need to conserve our reserves and not pass these on under clauses of the Indo-US nuclear deal like “India and the US agree to transfer nuclear material, non-nuclear material, equipment and components”

Concurrently, we should redouble our efforts to exploit renewable energy, alternative fuels, fossil fuels and the like. Learning from Fukushima, can you imagine the consequences of a sustained cyber attack on the power grid of our nuclear reactors, reducing the critical function of cooling to back up generators that themselves get overheated and have to be periodically switched off? Safety and security has many connotations in today’s world. We need to tread with caution.