Nuclear Power Policy of GOI - What the Hell is Going On?

                Contents of letter sent by E mail  on 24 th March to Dr.Manmohan Singh, Hon'ble Prime Minister of India

 

 

The Hon'ble  Prime Minister may recall,  that the Bench of the Supreme Court  is reported to have snubbed the Government of India (GOI) "What the Hell is going on?", when it asked about  tracking Black Money, in which Politicians, Bureaucrats, Corporates , Criminals etc are suspected to be involved.

 

Similarly, the People of India, who's "Right to Life", is guaranteed by The Constitution, and whose Fundamental Duty is to protect and improve  the Natural Environment, would like to know What the Hell is Going On regarding Nuclear  Power  Policy of Govt. of India?

 

Politics of Nuclear Power (NP) in India ?

 

The decision to import Nuclear Reactors itself is questionable, when India has already built about 18 Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors ( PHWR) on its own for the last 4 decades & has perfected its design  over the years of their operation.

 

 Going by the alleged bribes during the 2008 Trust Vote (Cash for Votes Scam) and the sustained USA pressure on the Indian Government to accelerate the 1-2-3 Agreement, the Indian NP Policy appears to have been influenced to serve the interests of USA and designed to benefit foreign MNCs – General Electric, Westinghouse and AREVA- for an estimated 40 Billion dolor business.

 

 It seems that the USA has found an unwitting client for its Nuclear Power Plants, which did not find market in their own country, since the 3 Mile Island Incident in 1979 . Are we putting Indian lives at risk for the sake of American jobs (which is what President Obama claimed to create during his visit to India)? Are Indian lives so cheap and you have no regard for your own countrymen?

 

The MNCs who provide Reactor Designs, with No or very limited liability for Nuclear Accidents like Fukushima Nuclear Meltdowns are profited at our expense. Are we a testing ground for unproven foreign technologies?

                                                        

 All Nuclear Power Plants with foreign technology seem to offer lucrative prospects by way of Commission for Indian Politicians, Intellectuals and Scientists. The  investment in 9900 MW Jaitapur NPP is estimated to be Rupees One Lakh Crores ( only ) (RS 10,00,00,00,00,00,000 ) . 

 

 Nuclear Power: Only Problems – No Solutions

 

 Sometimes it is important to restate the obvious ones again and again. Smoking is bad because it causes cancer and it is not good to drive drunk, because it can lead to serious accidents. Similarly, we should not opt for Nuclear Power, because it is a very Expensive, Sophisticated & Dangerous Way to Boil Water and not helpful.

 

Although for decades the arguments against Nuclear Power (NP) have been -and still are- strong and valid, there is an increasing group of Nuclear Companies supported by Scientists and Politicians, who say we need Nuclear Power to fight Climate Change and for Energy Security. They also claim that all the problems associated with Nuclear Power are almost solved or solved. Why do they say this, in spite of the recent Fukushima Nuclear Meltdown? Because for them, Nuclear Power means Profits, Power and Politics.

 

Nuclear Power (NP) is not sustainable, because it's fissile fuel materials are as limited as fossil fuels and the vast infrastructure necessary to create Nuclear Fuel-Cycle is a prodigious user of fossil fuels. Nuclear energy is not only a high-risk technology in terms of safety, but also with respect to financial investment, because without State subsidies, it does not stand a chance in the market- economy.

 

 Nuclear Power doesn't add up economically, environmentally or socially. and is neither the answer to modern energy problems nor a panacea for climate change challenges, Electricity is but the fleeting byproduct from Nuclear Power and the  actual product is forever deadly radioactive waste, which needs to be isolated from the biosphere for thousands of years that defy human imagination. Even 21 st century Science has no answer for safe disposal of Nuclear Waste.

 

Do We Need 8, 00,000 MW Capacity by 2031-32?

 

 Based on an unrealistic/unscientific assumption that economic vitality requires steadily increasing energy consumption, the total capacity of

8,00,000 MW is projected by 2031-32, which is about 5 times the present capacity.  The main focus of the power policy seems to be the use/consumption of energy with "Supply Syndrome", which is a wasteful exercise, rather than the thrust on efficient energy use & associated environmental concerns.  

 

The breeding ground for Nuclear Power is the inflated power demand projections and its wasteful use. As a result, total Nuclear Power capacity projected is 60,000 MW by 2031-32, which works out to be hardly 10 % of the total projected capacity.

                                                           

Can we do away with 60,000 MW Nuclear Power!

 

Before undertaking massive increase of installed capacities at huge financial costs and enormous adverse environmental and social impacts, it is worth considering for adequate investments in Supply Side Management (SSM) and Demand Side Management (DSM) measures as "Energy Conservation" is the fastest and the cheapest way of making available Clean Energy.

 

As the energy conservation potential, in our high energy intensive economy, is estimated to be more than 25%, we can easily do away with the need for the projected 60,000 MW (10%) Nuclear Power. But will the powerful MNCs in Nuclear Power sector and their nexus, permit the energy conservation measures and Green Power from renewable sources to materialize?

 

Thrust on National Action Plan on Climate Change Required  

 

The Hon'ble Prime Minister launched National Action Plan on Climate Change in 2008. If only adequate priority is given  for speedy and effective implementation of National Solar Mission, National Mission for  Enhanced Energy Efficiency , National Mission on Water and National Mission on Sustainable Habitat , there will be considerable scope for energy conservation and use of green power avoiding the need for massive increase in installed capacities and doing away with Nuclear Power Plants. We need to have Energy Conservation, Solar and Wind Energy Scientists instead of the Nuclear Scientists only, as at present

 

Evil vs Devil   Nuclear power is not just the Evil and it is the Devil. The Evil of our own making can be overcome. The Devil cannot be overcome, not even if we ourselves conjure him into being. This is why; staking our future on Nuclear Power is a Pact with the Devil, impacting the generations far into the future.

 

Conclusion: Hope the Hon'ble Prime Minister has the Time, Will and Freedom to ponder over the above and to promote Energy Efficiency and Green Power on a War Footing, which make Economic, Environmental and Social sense and to put the proposed Nuclear Power Plants on hold.

 

 Let there be participative democracy and enlightened participation in the Policy making process on a vital issue of Nuclear Power and let it not be confined to only Politicians, Scientists and Bureaucrats.!

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