PUBLICATION OF THE CONSULATE GENERAL OF INDIA IN DUBAI VOL.3 ISSUE 3 | MARCH 2011 INDIA TO FURTHER BOLSTER SAFETY OF N-PLANTS PRIME MINISTER DR. MANMOHAN SINGH AFFIRMS CAPACITY OF INDIA'S NUCLEAR ESTABLISHMENT TO WITHSTAND NATURAL DISASTERS C FROM THE CONSUL GENERAL’S DESK O Dear Reader, The tragic loss of life and property in Japan in the aftermath of the N Tsunami provoked earthquake was an extremely unfortunate occurrence. We convey, on behalf of the people of India our heartfelt condolences to the friendly people and the Government of Japan. The tragedy in Japan has brought to the forefront many T issues, including that of safety surrounding civil nuclear power projects. In this issue, we bring you some information on the safety protocol followed in our nuclear reactors. E Many of you may have already heard the lament by the famous entrepreneur and philanthropist, Warren Buffett that he should have visited India much earlier. We cover Mr. Buffett’s N visit in this issue. In our continuing series on Indian Super Brands we bring to you this month the Bangalore based biotechnology company — Biocon. With this issue, we have introduced a new series titled 10 T Questions. Through these searching questions we will attempt to bring out the many facets of prominent Indians based in the UAE. The series kicks off with the self-introspection by yours truly. S Friends, India Matters the monthly and our Radio Show of the same name on Suno 102.4 FM are in a state of transition. These 4 India’s reactors are safe are both channels to communicate with the community. We invite In the wake of the massive earthquake, the subsequent tsunami and the your comments and opinions on these changes. We will soon mark nuclear fallout in Japan, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh ordered our presence on Facebook ! Watch that space too. an audit of India’s nuclear reactors as a precautionary measure... Happy Reading! 10 QUESTIONS Sanjay Verma 8 Sanjay Verma, Consul General of India, Dubai With this issue of India Matters, we begin a new series introducing a personality every RADIO MATTERS month, which will reflect on life and times in general and on matters they hold dear in The Consulate General of India in Dubai has taken another step to extend a helping hand to the Indian particular community in the UAE. As of March 2011, the Consulate’s weekly radio programme ‘India Matters’ is aired on Suno 1024 FM. This radio station launched with their first show on January 11, 2011 and is a proud SUPERBRANDS new member of the Radio Asia Network (RAN). Amongst the first radio networks in the region, RAN has 10 been broadcasting across the UAE and GCC for the last 16 years under the banner of Dolphin Recording Biocon Studios LLC. The group owns and operates several businesses in the UAE, India and the Far East. Getting back to Suno, the radio station plays infectious music, entertaining citizens of the Indian PHILANTHROPY subcontinent. Listeners begin the day with the morning show, ‘Wake up with Sid and Family’, followed by 14 ‘One two ka four’ and ‘Hurry Home Hurry’. For the fashionistas, the station offers fashion and BOOKS ‘Invest in yourself’ couture tips in ‘Google my Goggles’ and a friend to confide in, in the late night show ‘Raton Raton mein’. 16 Historical explorations On Warren Buffet’s maiden India trip, The India Matters show is scheduled on Fridays, 5 pm to 6 pm, and on Saturdays, 12 pm to 1pm. he met some enthusiastic rich and William Dalrymple in his latest book famous Indians, who were willing to chronicles the first Anglo-Afghan war... share their wealth with the less fortunate... The winner of the January 2011 monthly quiz contest is Mr. Jassim Mohammad India Matters is a monthly publication of the Consulate General of India (CGI) in Dubai . All rights reserved. No part of this journal may be produced, stored He wins a gift hamper. or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the permission of the CGI Dubai . Editorial correspondence and manuscripts can be addressed to [email protected] ns! gratulatio Content and design by IANS (www.ianspublishing.com) on behalf of Consulate General of India in Dubai. Con Editorial Coordinator: Zarin Amrolia, Dubai 2 SIEnPdTEiaMMBERat2t0e09 rs| March 2011 March 2011 |IndiSa EMPTEaMtBtERe2r0s09 3 COVER India’s reactors are safe In the wake of the massive earthquake, the subsequent tsunami and the nuclear fallout in Japan, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh ordered an audit of India’s nuclear reactors as a precautionary measure... ndia on March 14 declared that withstand the impact of large its nuclear reactors could disasters, such as tsunamis and withstand “large natural earthquakes,” he said. Idisasters”. However, as a The Prime Minister reassured the precautionary measure, a safety nation that the Government review at nuclear plants has been attached “the highest importance to ordered, following the recent nuclear nuclear safety”. fallout in Japan in the wake of the The NPCIL, which operates 20 massive earthquake and the tsunami nuclear power reactors, said that that hit the country. Indian nuclear plants maintained Speaking in Parliament, Prime the highest levels of safety as per Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh said international norms and have that the Government wanted safety withstood major natural disasters in systems at all its nuclear plants the past. studied to ensure they could However, the DAE and NPCIL withstand natural disasters like were closely monitoring the situation. Above: Prime Minister Dr. of these reviews have been nous pressurised heavy water reactors tsunamis and earthquakes. They were in touch with the World Manmohan Singh writing a con - incorporated. and the remaining two at the Tarapur “The Department of Atomic Energy Association of Nuclear Operators, dolence message at the Japanese “The events of Japan will be plant were boiling water reactors of (DAE) and its agencies, including Tokyo Centre, the Japan Atomic Embassy in New Delhi, commis - reviewed in detail in due course as the type being operated in Japan. the Nuclear Power Corporation Industrial Forum, World Nuclear erating with the people of Japan information becomes available. “A safety audit of these reactors of India Ltd (NPCIL), have Association, and the International following the killer tsunami that Resulting out of such a review, has been completed recently,” he said. been instructed to undertake Atomic Energy Agency. struck the country; any reinforcement as needed in Dr. Singh also said the Indian an immediate technical review of “An in-depth review of all Right: The Nuclear Power Corp of Indian reactors will be implemented,” nuclear plants have in the past all safety systems of our nuclear such events have been done for India Ltd. the NPCIL said. met their safety standards. He said power plants, particularly to all the plants and necessary reinforce - The Prime Minister said that 18 of that work “was under way at DAE (ensure) that they would be able to ment features based on the outcome India’s 20 nuclear plants were indige - towards further strengthening India’s 4 SIEnPdTEiaMMBERat2t0e09 rs| March 2011 March 2011 |IndiSa EMPTEaMtBtERe2r0s09 5 JAPAN’S RADIATION LEAK CANNOT REACH INDIA? ‘Safety measures foolproof’ Meanwhile, as panic and myths did the rounds after the radiation leak n a recent interview to The ty of the barriers because of which at Japan’s quake-hit Fukushima Indian Express , Dr. Srikumar we can say with confidence that nuclear plant, experts felt India IBanerjee, Chairman of India’s we are much safer. In addition, we should not worry about the radia - Atomic Energy Commission, are not in a seismic zone.” tion reaching the country’s shores. while referring to the stringent To another question about of “It is very important to consider safety audit that is India’s reactors, India’s location in the South Asian being carried out especially the map. It is just not possible for radi - on India’s nuclear pressurised heavy ation to reach India through wind power plants, water reactors, flow because of the Himalayas. In asserted that the which are totally Fact, India was much more in dan - country’s nuclear indigenous, Dr. ger when the Chernobyl disaster reactors were Banerjee said, happened in 1986,” C.S. Bal, safe. He said that “You know, one Professor of Nuclear Medicine at even a very high of the biggest the All India Institute of Medical tsunami cannot advantages of our Sciences, said. strike the upcom - pressurised water According to experts, radiation ing nuclear reac - reactors is that reaches hazardous levels when rays tor site located in these are low emitted by radioactive substances Jaitapur on the energy density exceed defined limits. Radiation Dr. Srikumar Banerjee western coast of reactors. In addi - leaks at the nuclear plant in Maharashtra. tion, our steam Chernobyl, ukraine, in 1986, left When asked generators are over 4,000 dead, and affected thou - about India’s Tarapur reactor in located at a point that if you want sands with after-effects like cancer. comparison to the Japan’s to take out the heat by natural cir - Fukushima reactor, Dr. Banerjee culation, you will be able to even INDIA SETS uP PANEL said, “Tarapur is actually a few when nothing is working. So we TO ASSESS TSuNAMI years older to this. In Tarapur, we are much more comfortable with RELATED RISKS have introduced some systems and Pressurised Heavy Water India is setting up an expert panel updates. One of them is this con - Reactors (PHWs). Eighteen of our to assess tsunami related risks for denser loop that actually takes out reactors are PHWs.” existing infrastructure projects, the heat of the reactor in a passive Dr.