Nuclear power to meet energy needs inescapable, states BARC

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Feb 13, 2015: Speaking at a seminar on ’Nuclear technology: Energising National development’ organised by Bearys Institute of Technology(BIT) in association with Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai, at BIT Campus in Boliyar, Innoli, in Mangaluru on Feb 11,  BARC Media Relations and Public Awareness Head R K Singh stressed upon the necessity of nuclear energy in development activities and said nuclear power is needed to meet the energy requirements of the country as energy supply is unstable in the present context.

He said nuclear plants in India have a high degree of  safety features. Nuclear technology could be used in many activities from mining to waste disposal. Nuclear waste may also be a resource. It is used further for reactors and some amount of high level waste is used to prepare glass.

BARC has taken several initiatives towards power generation through nuclear energy. India has mastered technologies in nuclear reactor design, construction, operation, commissioning and maintenance. BARC will commission new programmes in future, and added,  India has established international co-relations in nuclear technology with UK, USA and Germany. Mangalore University Physics department Prof Dr K M Balakrishna said satellite communication and electronic communication system large amount of power is needed.

Applications of nuclear energy such as Cobalt-60 is used in treatment of cancer, radio isotopes are used in conversion of saline water into sweet water. The possibility of solar and wind power are minimised and these sources of power are not sufficient to satisfy needs of present generation.

Stating nuclear power is a vehicle through which maximum energy can be produced by minimum resources, he called upon students to carry out research in the field of nuclear science.

Kuvempu University Physics department retired professor Dr B S Sheshadri who was the guest of honour, recalled the contributions of Jawaharlal Nehru and Homi Jehangir Bhabha to the field of nuclear energy. India needs all kinds of energy producing methodologies and nuclear power could be a main source of alternative energy. Nuclear power energises the national development, he added.  It was seen that power will be like oxygen  for the human race in the future.