HYDERABAD | May 13, 2015: To overcome power shortage, the two Telugu states should facilitate uranium mining and set up nuclear power plants, top nuclear scientists in the country feel.
In Telangana, despite reports of rich uranium deposits, the proposed uranium mining has not been taken up in Nalgonda. Denying reports of any impact on the Nagarjunasagar project, PS Parihar, director of the atomic minerals directorate for exploration and research under the department of atomic energy (DAE), clarified, "Since uranium will be removed from the mined ore, the Nagarjunasagar project will not face any problem."
Parihar and other scientists spoke to the media on the sidelines of a three-day workshop on 'Nuclear power and nuclear fuel cycle programme in India' organised at the Engineering Staff College of India (ESCI), which began here on Tuesday.
The scientists said that opposition to uranium mining and nuclear power plants is being instigated by foreign agencies, who are using NGOs to further their cause. Asked who the foreign agencies are, Dr Sekhar Basu, director of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) said that the government has already identified many NGOs to stop foreign funding for them.
Basu said that both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana could benefit from uranium mining and setting up of nuclear power plants. He said that for setting up a nuclear power plant at Kovvada in Srikakulam district, Andhra Pradesh should first acquire the necessary land. Only after that should they start construction of the power plant. "There has been some opposition to it locally but we have taken it up with the AP government to complete land acquisition," Basu said.
Basu also said that the proposal to set up the second campus of BARC in Vizag is being pursued and it would be a much bigger facility where futuristic technology would be used. He said that 4,000 acres have been identified for the purpose. A cancer hospital has also been planned in Vizag on the lines of Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai.
The issue of uranium mining proposed at Lambapur-Peddagatta, would be pursued with the Telangana government, SK Malhotra, head of the public awareness division of DAE under BARC, said. So far as uranium mining at Tummalapalle in Kadapa district is concerned, authorities said that uranium reserves found there is estimated to be one lakh tonnes and exploration of a larger area would yield more reserves. Tummalapalle uranium mines figure among the 20 biggest in the world.
Malhotra said that though it would be cheaper to import uranium for nuclear power generation since prices keep fluctuating it would not be good to import uranium. The policy is also to explore uranium mining in the country so that if there are difficulties in importing them in the future, India would still have its own reserves.
BARC would pursue the issue of uranium mining at Lambapur-Peddagatta with the Telangana government. Uranium reserves there is estimated to be one lakh tonnes and exploration of a larger area would yield more reserves. Tummalapalle uranium mines figure among the 20 biggest in the world thrust on desi nuclear reserves.
(Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/)