11. 2"'DST/SERC School on "Isotope Tracer Techniques for Water Resources Development and Management' 23 Dr Bhabhawasmuchmorethanthat
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11. 2"'DST/SERC school on "Isotope tracer techniques for water resources development and management' 23 Dr Bhabhawasmuchmorethanthat. Hewasa Recognitionisan importantmotivatingfactor;so brilliantscientistand an outstandingscience are opportunityand rewarding professional administrator.But most of all, he was a avenues.TheScientificAdvisoryCommitteeto pioneeringvisionary, who understoodthe theCabinet- headedbyourPrincipalScientific importanceofindigenousscientificresearchfor Adviser, Dr Chidambaram- has been self-reliantdevelopment. consideringhowto optimisethebenefitstothe Visionarieslike Bhabha have shaped the countryfromitsscientificresearchinstitutions.It shouldalsotacklethechallengeofrecruitingthe scientifictemperofourcountry.Indiaistodayat bestscientifictaientintoourresearchinstitutions the forefrontof the KnowledgeRevolution- whichdrivestheNewEconomy.Forthis,weowe andretainingthemthere.Wehavetonurturean environment,whichencouragestheinnovative a hugedebt to the excellenceofour scientific andtechnicalpersonnel. spiritandwelcomescreativeideas. Muchofthistalentfindsitswayabroad.Fromthe In thiscontext,it is hearteningtosee thatso SiliconValleyto Microsoft,frombiochemistryto manyyoung studentsparticipatedinthe DAE robotics - expatriateIndian scientistsand essaycontest.Theyareourfuturescientistsand. engineers are present in every corporate engineers.Theywill becomeourambassadors, organisationandineveryfieldofresearch. carrying the message of science based development to various partsourcountry. India's atomic energy programmestartedherein Trombay about half a centuryago.It hascomea long way since then.The various institutionsof the Department of Atomic Energy have notchedup stellar achievementsin basic research and technology development. Prime Ministers address. Seen on the dais from len are Dr Anil Kakodkar, Chairman, They havecommercialized AEC, Dr R Chidambaram, Principal Sc~ntific Adviser to Govt. of India & President, a wide rangeof develop- Indian Nuclear Society, Ms Vasundhara Raje, Minister of Stale for Atomic Energy, His mentalapplications. Excellency Mr Mohammed Fazal, Governor of Maharashtra, Hon'ble Prime Minster Mr Atat Behari Vajpayee, Hon'ble Mr Vilasreo Deshmukh, Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Radiationtechnologyhas Mr Brajesh Mishra, Principal Secretary to Prime Minister and Mr B. Shaffacharyee, Director, BARC developed high-yielding, disease-resistantvarieties We needto retainsomeof theseskillsin our of rice,jute, pulses,groundnutsandmustard. countryforourownacceleratedprogress.Thatis TheTrombayblackgramandgroundnutvarieties why I am happythat we havetodayhonoured arenowcultivatedalloverthecountry. scientistsandengineerswhohavemadespecial Radiationprocessinghasalso emergedasan contributionstoour atomicenergyprogramme.I important technology for preservationof am also glad that the IndianNuclearSociety agriculturalcommodities,sterilizationofmedical awards have covered a wider domain of products and upgradingof food hygiene. research.IcongratulatetherecipientsoftheDAE Cereals,pulses,vegetablesanddryfruitscanbe andtheINSawards. preservedbythismethod.TheKrushakplantat Lasalgaonwillusegammaradiationtoprolong society.They put it on to greaterheightsof thefreshnessofonion,whichistheregion'smost innovationandachievement.Ouratomsforpeace importantagriculturalproduct.Byincreasingthe programmescontinuetoflourishandexpand. shelflife,itwouldbepossibletomaintainonion The mostimperativedevelopmentalapplication pricesat lowerlevels.As everyoneknows,the of atomicenergytodayisfornuclearpower.Itis price of onions can even bring down a a sad fact that India's per capita energy governmentinourcountry. consumptionisamongthelowestin the world. The MedicaiCyclotron,whichhas just been Power shortages constitute an important inaugurated,has important applicationsin infrastructuralhurdleto our rapid economic cardiology,neurologyandoncology.TheNuclear development. Desalinationprojecthasa directlinktosupplyof It is wellknownthatnuclearpoweris oneof the cleandrinkingwaterto our coastalareas.The mostenvironment-friendlyformsofenergy.Itis a Cirusreactorrefurbishinghasgrantedafurther cleanerenergyalternativeto fossilfuel. It is extensionoflifeto India'sfirstnuclearresearch morecostefficientinthe longtenm.Atpresent, reactor. nuclearpower meetsjust 2% of our overall Theseandhundredsofotherinnovationshave electricityneeds.Thiswillhavetochangesoon. strengthenedthedevelopmentaldimensionof our atomic energy programme. It is importanttorecognize theirvaluetosociety. We emphasizethis, because in some circlesabroadatomic energyseemstoraise only visions of the atom bomb or of nuclear war. Ever sinceour first nuclear testsin 1974,wehave been denied technologies and products on the Mr Bhanacharjee, Director, BARC presenting a memento to Hon'bla Prima Ministar Mr Atal unfounded suspicion Behari Vajpayee that they may be We have eight nuclear power plants under appliedtoa weaponsprogramme. constructionwhich will add around 4000 Thesetechnology-denialregimeshaveirritated Megawattstoour installedpowercapacityby us; theyhavealso retardedourprogress.But 2008.Wehaveanevenmoreambitioustargetof theydidnotstopus.Theybroughtoutthebestin generating20,000megawattsofnuclearpower us. Ourscientistsinatomicenergy,spaceand bytheyear2020. otherhightechnologyareasachievedsuccess We will apply our indigenousfinancialand after success with indigenouslydeveloped technologicalcapacitiesto meetthis objective. expertise.Asso manytimes betorein history, At the sametime,we welcomeparticipationof we provedthat sanctionsdo not devastatea othercountriesinthesemajorprojects. Whileinvitingforeignpartnerstojoinus in this energyfrom thorium.This wouldbe a major Importantdevelopmentsector,weurgethemto technologicalbreak-throughforIndiawhichhas dispel any misconceptionsaboutour nuclear someof the largestreservesofthoriuminthe weaponsprogramme.Wehavebeentransparent world. aboutit. Thereasonsforour nucleartestingin Friends, May1998are well known.Weemphasiseour nucleardoctrineofminimumcredibledeterrence. All of you here are the inheritorsof a great Ournuclearweaponsprogrammewasdeveloped legacy.It is in yourhandsto carrythattradition totallyindigenously.Itdidnot violateanyof our forward.You must continue the pursuitof internationalobligations.Itislimitedinscope. excellence. Your work must alwaysremain relevantand responsivetonationalneedsand Our nuclearpowerprogrammehasan entirely aspirations.Itshouldaim to keep Indiaat the different developmentobjective. We have cutting edge of science & technology.The repeatedlysaidthateverycooperativeprojectin supportandbestwishesofthenationwillalways nuclearpowerwouldbe opento international bewithyouintheseendeavours. safeguards.Wewouldurgethe highpriestsof non-proliferationtolook aroundandtacklethe JaiHind. clandestineandillegaldevelopmentandtransfer of nuclearandmissiletechnologies,ratherthan Addressby Chairman,Atomic targetingcountries,whichhaveplayedby the EnergyCommission rules.Theymightthenbe persuadedtolookat atomicenergyin Indiaas an engineof growth Dear Colleagues, and progress,and not throughthe prismof At the outset, let me expressmy heartiest nuclearweapons. greetingstoall the membersofDAEfamilyon At the Rio Summitten yearsago and more theoccasionofFounder'sDay-2002.Thisyear's recentiyattheSustainableDevelopmentSummit Founder'sDayis a specialone becauseour in Johannesburg,the. world reiteratedits beloved Prime Minister, along with several determinationtocurbemissionsofthe harmfui dignitaries,isgoingto bewithus aswepayour greenhouse gases which degrade our respectstothe memoryofourfounderDrHomi environmentandplay havocwith our climate Bhabha. systems.Evenas I speakhere,Environment Ministersofthe worldare gatheredin Delhito Dr Bhabhahasgivenus a visionof developing discussactionto promotetheobjectivesofthe indigenousandself-reliantcapabilityin nuclear KyotoProtocolon ClimateChange.It is truly sciencesil1d technologiesanddeployingtheir ironic that we are lectured on our moral applicationsforthe benefitof our nation.It is a obligationstoclampdownon emissions,while matterof somesatisfactionthatwe havemade being denied international technological significantall-roundprogressontheroadmapto cooperationforthe one altemative,whichcan realizeDrBhabha'svisiondespitehurdles. achievethiswithoutpenalisingourdevelopment. Timeand againit has beenemphasizedthat I wouldliketo urgeourscientistsandengineers nuclearpoweris an inevitableoptionfora large to continueon the path of innovationsand deveiopingcountrylikeours.Improvementinthe inventions,whichhavetakenouratomicenergy qualityof life of our peoplewill necessitatea programmetothis advancedstage.I hopethe substantialgrowthin our powersectorandthe Fast BreederReactorcan be commercially share of nuclearenergy in the total power exploitedsoon.I hopethatyouwillachieveearly productionprofile must increaserapidly so successin the viablegenerationof nuclear thatthecarbondioxideemissionarisingout of excellentsafety record.WANO ExpertTeamshavecarriedout Peer Review of four nuclear powerreactorsin India.In line with keepingour commitments regardingthepreservationofthe environment, most of the operatingpowerplantshavealso obtained Environment Management System (EMS) certificationasperISO14001. Constructionofsix newnuclear DrAni!Kakodkar,Chairman,AtomicEnergyCommissionandSecretar;to power plants at three sites GovernmenlofIndiaaddressingtheaudienceontheoccasionofFounder'sDay commencedduring the year. 2002 These included Kaiga-3&4 burningoffossilfuelsiscoITespondinglyreduced. (2x220 MWe) in the state of Withtherapidlydepletingfluidhydrocarbonfuels,