Life post Fukushima

My first impression of Japan, after landing at the Haneda international airport in the wee hours of the morning, was the sight of hundreds of people wearing white masks that stretched from ear to ear, walking briskly past me. It triggered a question: “radiation?”. My Japanese friend laughed and explained that the health ministry encouraged people suffering a flu to wear these masks to avoid infecting others. As far as radiation is concerned, he said matter of factly, no mask can ever reduce one’s exposure to it.

Kudankulam deadlock: Central team, protesters rule out further talks

Efforts to break the impasse over the controversial Kudankulam nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu’s Tirunelveli district hit a dead end on Tuesday when the Central government’s panel of experts and anti-nuclear activists declared no further talks would be held.

Andhra Pradesh speeds up Kovvada nuclear power project

Even as people’s resistance against the Kudankulam nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu continues to make news, the government of neighbouring Andhra Pradesh has decided to speed up the 9,564 MW Kovvada Nuclear Power Park (KNP) project in Ranasthalam block of the north coastal district of Srikakulam. The state issued an order on 27 December to acquire 1,000 hectares (ha) of land from farmers and fishers of the region, ignoring widespread public protests.

India takes a step ahead on nuclear transparency

The government on April 26 accepted the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) safety review project called the Operational Safety Review Team programme (OSART). The government will introduce an independent Nuclear Regulatory Authority of India. The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board will come under it, said environment minister Jairam Ramesh.