Lessons of Chernobyl and Fukushima: Nuclear Safety is an Oxymoron by admin_dianuke

Prof. T. Shivaji Rao

Prof.T.Shivaji Rao is the Director of Center for Environmental studies,GITAM University, Visakhapatnam (India)

 ABSTRACT:

In the wake of the nuclear explosion at Fukushima on 11-3-2011 several expert committees investigated the sequence of events leading to the catastrophe.  Chancellor of Germany  Mrs. Angela Merkel discussed in depth with International experts on Fukushima disaster and concluded that nuclear safety is a pure myth and she declared  phase out of all German nuclear plants by 2022.  The former Prime Minister of Japan Mr.Kan and the present Prime Minister Noda also studied the tragic events at Fukushima and declared that nuclear safety is a myth.  In Japan 53 out of 54 reactors are shut down and due to public agitation they are not allowed to restart operations.   From 5-5-2012 Japan is going to be the first nuclear-free country in the world.   But the Indian Prime Minister and the Chief Minister of Tamilnadu Jayalalitha are bent upon  promoting  large   nuclear plants in Kudankulam in Tamilnadu state and at other places like Jaitapur in Maharasthra, Kovvada in Andhra Pradesh and Bhavnagar in Gujarat, inspite of strong public opposition and by violating all the rules and regulations although there are more  inexpensive  and  safer energy resources like lignite coal in Tamilnadu which is deny to the state while being exported to  Uttara Pradesh for production of more electricity.  There are other  alternate energy sources like natural gas and renewable energy sources to meet the  power needs of Tamilnadu.  In this context  it is proposed to present the Fukushima nuclear disaster as a case study to prove how it is hundred percent impossible to  guarantee the safety of nuclear reactors and that to the proposed large size new varieties of reactors proposed at Kudankulam in Tamilnadu.