CTBT a political issue: Chidambaram
From K.G. Dutt
Tribune News Service

KURUKSHETRA, Dec 28 — Dr R. Chidambaram, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and Secretary of the Department of Atomic Energy said here today, that India had collected enough data from the five nuclear tests at Pokhran for developing "a credible nuclear deterrent".

In an exclusive interview to The Tribune, Mr Chidambaram said the scientists engaged in the blasts tested "the idea and their components". He maintained that these tests were "1998 vintage." The Chairman did not directly reply to the question whether India should now go for signing the C.T.B.T. He simply stated that it was a "political question". What was important for the country was that it had unilaterally put an end to further nuclear tests. "This spoke enough about the nuclear capability of India."

The Chairman emphatically stated that nobody could hold this country to ransom by denying nuclear technology. He made it clear that none of the nuclear power projects in hand would suffer because of denial of foreign aid. He clarified that India should take whatever was given by somebody willingly. But at the same time it should strive for self-reliance in the field of nuclear power production.

Reacting to a question that the nuclear powers were not ready to admit India as a nuclear power, Dr Chidambaram stated that there should be no doubt that India was "a nuclear weapon state". The nuclear powers had put an artificial cut-off date for becoming a member of the NTPT. But despite that, India was today a nuclear power. If it was not so then why these nuclear powers "are afraid of us."

Talking about the nuclear power production capacity of the country, Dr Chidambaram disclosed that by 2020 India would be able to produce 20,000 Mega Watts of power from its plants. At present 10 reactors were functioning in the country. Six more were under construction. Four of these would start operation by next year. Out of the four which would start production next year two were located in Rajasthan while two were in Karnataka. The Chairman further said that a 2500 MW reactor had been started in Tarapur (Maharashtra) which had been indigenously designed.

Dr Chidambaram disclosed that India had signed an agreement with Russia to build two more reactors in Tamil Nadu. He claimed that all the reactors were working very well. Last year these reactors achieved a 71 per cent working capacity. This year the capacity was likely to go up to 75 per cent.

Dr Chidambaram also claimed that India had comprehensive capability of a nuclear fuel cycle. Only half a dozen countries in the world were comparable to India in this field.

Talking about the importance and role of nuclear energy, Dr Chidambaram maintained that solar and hydro energy could not meet all the power requirements of the country. He stated that power consumption in the country at present was pathetic as compared to the USA. Our national consumption was 1/30 as compared to the national consumption of the USA. The consumption by 2020 would be 7 to 8 per cent of our total production. He stated that India must raise its per capita consumption eight to 10 times before it could become a really developed country. For this purpose nuclear power was the only alternative. Dr Chidambaram reiterated that sanctions would further strengthen the country's resolve to fight back.

Talking about the laboratory structure and research facilities in India, the Chairman felt there were "excellent scientists in the country but they needed to be fully supported financially and they should also be provided scientific satisfaction". He desired that there should be synergy between the university system and the laboratories. They should be complimentary to each other and contribute to national development as well as national security.