R.N. 70269/98 ISSN : 0972-169X Postal Reg. No.: DL-SW-1/4082/18-20 Date of posting: 26-27 of advance month Date of publication: 24 of advance month January 2019 Vol. 21 No. 4 Rs. 5.00 Top 10 stories of 2018 INSIDE STORIES Editorial: New Year, New Horizons NSG-No Entry? Beware of Plastic Containers for Food and Water! India's Space Prowess Harlow Shapley : A Key Figure of 20th Century Astronomy 36 EDITORIAL New Year, New Horizons Heartiest greetings for the New Year! increase in per hectare yield over the years. Let us begin the new year by taking a However, considering India’s size and the new step forward towards the goals we have growing population, whatever efforts we set upon ourselves for the past few years. Let make to widen the spread of agricultural a renewed vision guide us in this pursuit that science will be inadequate. Hence, this has been inspiring our thoughts. year Vigyan Prasar will strive to add this Nakul Parashar Many attempts have been made to dimension to its programs to enable us to take science and technology to the masses fulfil our commitment towards the rural and This year’s National Science Film in a language they understand, relating to agricultural community. Festival will be organised in Chandigarh the milieu they identify with and through Like agricultural science, medical from 27 to 31 January. More than 300 the mediums most accessible to them. It science has also seen rapid developments. films have been rigorously evaluated to is a matter of great satisfaction that these Many programs and projects are currently be shortlisted for this festival. Some of the endeavours have not ceased to exist. The running to bring these developments to country’s finest filmmakers will now judge contribution of Vigyan Prasar is noteworthy the masses. Vigyan Prasar is committed the best among these during the festival. in this regard. It has been matching up to its to play an active role in this nationwide Vigyan Prasar will lend its full support to all responsibilities through different programs task. During the year, we shall endeavour such festivals throughout the country. and projects. The credit lies with the vast to include medical science in our science Last year, we celebrated the 125th popularisation activities. family of Vigyan Prasar working relentlessly birth anniversary of Prof. Meghnad Saha. Vigyan Prasar has recently under the capable guidance of the nation’s This year marks the 125th birth anniversary implemented a significant project of creating scientists and science writers. We extend our of Prof. Satyendra Nath Bose. It is planned daily content for television and the internet. gratitude and salute to them all! to organise nationwide programs during the Under the project, programs produced by We need a new perspective to make our year to take the achievements of the two Vigyan Prasar are to be broadcast daily on legendary theoretical physicists to all corners national mission of popularising science more Doordarshan’s (DD) Science Channel. of the country through films, symposiums comprehensive, contemporary and effective. A dedicated internet portal has and publications. Therefore, we should make every possible also been launched to apprise the world The Union Ministry of Science and use of the expertise accumulated through our of advancements in India’s science and initiatives and their implementation so far. technology sector. The India Science, Technology has started a new initiative to This experience can become the foundation Technology and Innovation Portal (ISTI) is spread general awareness about artificial for making our task more encompassing. a one-stop window for the latest information intelligence. Vigyan Prasar will make every Based on the experience gained, the ever- about developments in India in science, effort to inform and educate the public about evolving technologies and new modes of technology, and innovation. the related innovations in simple language. communication can be used to expand the It is no secret that the world faces Much more is in the offing. The first scope of science popularisation many folds. an environmental crisis. As both the Paris step into the new year with a new vigour and There can be no two opinions about this! Climate Agreement as well as the recently optimism is only the beginning. The nation’s agriculture sector has concluded COP 24 conference in Poland Once again, best wishes for the New progressed in leaps and bounds in the past. infer, a change in our lifestyles can go a long Year. Many projects of agricultural research have way in preserving our planet. We shall try Email: nakul.parashar@ successfully percolated to the farmers. The to take this message to the widest possible vigyanprasar.gov.in statistics bear testimony to the consistent audience during the year. (Transtated by Shri Deepak Sharma) n Editor : Nakul Parashar Vigyan Prasar is not responsible for the statements/opinions expressed and photographs used by the authors in their articles/write-ups published in Associate editor : Rintu Nath “Dream 2047” Production : Manish Mohan Gore and Pradeep Kumar Articles, excerpts from articles published in “Dream 2047” may be freely Expert member : Biman Basu reproduced with due acknowledgement/credit, provided periodicals in Address for Vigyan Prasar, C-24, which they are reproduced are distributed free. correspondence : Qutab Institutional Area, New Delhi-110 016 Published and Printed by Manish Mohan Gore on behalf of Vigyan Tel : 011-26967532; Fax : 0120-2404437 Prasar, C-24, Qutab Institutional Area, New Delhi - 110 016 and Printed e-mail : [email protected] at Aravali Printers & Publishers Pvt. Ltd., W-30, Okhla Industrial Area, website : http://www.vigyanprasar.gov.in Phase-II, New Delhi-110 020 Phone: 011-26388830-32. 35 Dream 2047, January 2019, Vol. 21 No. 4 NUCLEAR ENERGY NSG-No Entry? M.S.S. Murthy In the recent past India has been and technology, which include nuclear In 1974 a group spending much of its diplomatic might to reactors and equipment thereof, plants and get into an exclusive club of nations known equipment for fabrication of nuclear fuel, of countries joined as “Nuclear Suppliers Group”. What is plants and equipment for reprocessing the together to form the this Group and why does Indian need the spent fuel, plants and equipment for heavy- membership of this Group? water production, etc. The second guideline Nuclear Suppliers Way back in 1974 India conducted a covers the export of nuclear-related (dual “peaceful nuclear explosion” nicknamed the use) materials and technology like isotope Group (NSG) with the ‘Smiling Buddha’. Many countries saw this as separation and other industrial equipment a disguised nuclear weapons program, which which can be used for both nuclear and purpose of overseeing may lead to proliferation of nuclear weapons, non-nuclear operations. Nuclear trade can that the export of particularly among the Asian countries. happen only among the member countries. The plutonium used for the explosion was Who can become members of this nuclear materials and allegedly obtained through reprocessing the elite club? One of the guidelines for seeking spent fuel from the Canada-India reactor membership is that the country must be a technology are not at Trombay, Mumbai. Canada considered signatory for the Nuclear Non-proliferation this as a deviation of nuclear Treaty (NPT) of the used to foster nuclear technology transferred for IAEA or to treaties which weapons development peaceful purposes and along aim to preserve certain with the USA withheld any geographical areas such by the recipient states. further collaboration. as Latin America, Africa, Following these South pacific, South-east Today the Group developments, in 1974 a and Central Asia as nuclear- group of countries joined free zones. The NPT, which consists of 48 countries, together to form the Nuclear is in force since 1970, is controlling most of the Suppliers Group (NSG) with specifically designed to the purpose of overseeing prevent the proliferation international nuclear that the export of nuclear of nuclear weapons. materials and technology are Though India supported trade under two sets of not used to foster nuclear the principles of nuclear weapons development by the recipient states. non-proliferation, it is not a signatory guidelines developed Today the Group consists of 48 countries, to the NPT since it considers the Treaty in association with the controlling most of the international nuclear as discriminatory. Hence India has been trade under two sets of guidelines developed excluded from the membership of NSG International Atomic in association with the International Atomic right from the beginning. Energy Agency (IAEA). The first guideline Notwithstanding such efforts by the Energy Agency (IAEA). covers the export of nuclear materials international community to exclude India B-104, Terrace Garden Apartments, 2nd Main Road, BSK IIIrd Stage, Bengaluru-85 Dream 2047, January 2019, Vol. 21 No. 4 34 from further nuclear India is looking for full cooperation, India carried membership, which will out five full-fledged also enable it to enter export nuclear weapons tests, market for nuclear materials including a thermonuclear and technology, particularly device and declared itself when it develops the thorium as a nuclear weapon state utilisation technology in the in 1998. Furthermore, coming years. the country went ahead It may appear odd that to develop peaceful India is seeking membership applications of nuclear of a club, which was born as a technology based on its protest response to its testing earlier experience. Today a nuclear explosive device there are 22reactors in in 1974. But since then the operation in 8 nuclear Current members of Nuclear Suppliers Grup (Shaded) scenario has changed. In a power plants across the significant development in country generating about 5 gigawatts of applicant.Though majority of the members December 2017, the elite export control electricity.