‘Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant no threat to Lanka’
There have been a series of news reports raising fears of dangers to
Sri Lanka from the commissioning of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant
in Southern India.
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Nuclear
reactors.
File photo |
It bears repetition that the Indian government assigns utmost
attention to nuclear and radiation safety, including the safety of
operating personnel, public as well as the environment India News said
in a press release. It added: The principle of ‘safety being the
overriding priority’ encompasses the entire gamut of activities
associated with nuclear power plants, ranging from siting, design,
construction, commissioning, operation to de-commissioning.
Testing to demonstrate the adequacy of each system and the plant as a
whole, by actual performance tests to meet the design intent, is carried
out well before commencing operation of the plant. The Atomic Energy
regulatory Board reviews the operational limits and conditions for
various system parameters and approves them before operationalising the
plant, to ensure safe operation.
‘All unclear power plant sites in India are capable of managing the
radioactive wastes generated at these sites. Each of them has adequate
facilities for handling, treatment and disposal of such waste, in line
with international standards.
The establishment and verification of appropriate emergency response
plans is a mandatory prerequisite for all nuclear power plants in India.
The preparedness of the agencies involved is verified through periodic
exercises. The National Disaster Management Authority has drawn up a
holistic and integrated programme for “Management of Nuclear and
Radiological Emergencies”.
India is party to the Convention on Nuclear Safety (1994), Convention
on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident (1986), and the Convention
on Assistance in the case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological
Emergency and is fully aware of and complies with, its obligations under
these conventions.
The Kudankulam, Nuclear Power Plant is a state-of-the-art plant that
is compliant with the highest safety standards available in the nuclear
industry today. The safety measures instituted at the plant are of the
highest order.
India and Sri Lanka have an ongoing dialogue on cooperation in the
area of nuclear energy, including in the areas of isotope hydrology,
radio-tracer studies and dam safety.
A Sri Lankan delegation is scheduled to visit India in the coming
months to discusss these and other areas of potential cooperation,
including the area of safety. The relevant issuer are being addressed in
the spirit of close and friendly relations existing between the India
and Sri Lanka.
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