The long dark tea time of the soul

In matters of grave national interest, where mutually conflicting positions are argued with equal vigour, I am usually guided by Ratan Tata and his clique. The position he advocates is definitely the worse for the country. So it was with the nuclear deal. The oligarchs of India are lobbying intensely for the deal, with their spokesperson as the prime minister of the country. This suggests that there is much more to the nuclear deal, than mere integration with global nuclear order and ability to import uranium. This also suggests that something is wrong. But, for reasons far different from the ruling classes, I feel the nuclear deal is still in the best interest of the country and its people. Especially, in the interests of the tribals of India, it is important that the nuclear deal goes through. Let me explain.

As an opponent of nuclear weapons, India’s ability to conduct future tests and safeguards in such scenarios do no concern me. What I am most concerned about is the impact of uranium mining on the tribal regions of India. Barely 18 months ago, young students protesting against uranium mining in the state of Meghalaya were shot and arrested. The people of Meghalaya are rightly concerned about the health implications of uranium mining in the state. UCIL has already showed in Jaduguda that when it comes to matter of public health of tribals, it doesn’t care a lot. Children are regularly born with deformities and openly dumped radioactive materials have contaminated all natural water resources. There is a very high incidence of cancer and other congenital abnormalities. Shri Prakash’ remarkable documentary “Buddha Weeps in Jaduguda” tells the story of the people of the region. It is the uranium mined from here that is being used in all the nuclear reactors of our country, and for the research conducted for nuclear weapons program of India. So it is indeed a shame that those who are opposing the nuclear deal are arguing for shoring up domestic uranium reserves. They are being dishonest about their motives.

This is also relevant for Chhattisgarh. Indravati basin is estimated to have some reserve of Uranium ore. UCIL has already surveying south Bastar for possible mining in future. The people of Bastar have already suffered the consequences of Iron ore mining by NMDC (and now by Tata). Uranium mines are the last thing that this place needs. The nuclear deal doesn’t necessarily rule out uranium mining in India. Yet, it not only opens a channel for the import of uranium, but also focuses more international vigil on the impact of nuclear program of India on its people.

This is also important for our nuclear power stations. It is very important to bring them under internationally accepted safeguards. Although there have been no major leaks till now, we simply cannot afford any letup in the safety precautions. After the nuclear deal, IAEA will ensure that the architecture of the power plants is safe. In the USA, the three mile island nuclear accident has resulted a strong public sentiment against nuclear power. But unlike Chernobyl, a sum total of ZERO people died in the three mile island accident, and the people of USA indeed overreacted to it. In last 20 years there has been not a single radiation related fatality in any of the 300 or so reactors around the world placed under IAEA supervision.

The question of nuclear power is more difficult to answer. While on the one hand, there is a very strong anti nuclear lobby in countries like USA and Germany, some others like France, Russia, China and Sweden are building more reactors every year. Even a major OPEC country like Iran is doing its own research for the peaceful use of nuclear energy. The IPCC has shown that the world cannot be complacent about global warming. Coal and gas based power plants are absolutely not a solution to the country’s growing energy needs. In that sense, nuclear power is clean. France is considered as having the cleanest air in Europe, precisely because it has a large number of nuclear reactors which supply more than 99% of total power needs. Dumping of nuclear wastes is a big problem. Yucca Mountains, where USA is storing its high radiation nuclear wastes, has become an election issue in that country. Yet, the harm posed by nuclear wastes is no different from that of other industrial wastes. According to the WHO, 3 million people are killed every year because of air pollution. In contrast, the current arrangements for nuclear waste disposal (reprocessing, etc) are a lot safer. I am sure that given enough motivation and technological research, we will come out with a safe method to dump the wastes in future. Recently the co-founder of Greenpeace distanced himself from his organization’s long time stand and envisioned a nuclear future for the world.

India is getting desperate for power. The lives of atleast 30% of the population of the country is in danger because of dams coming up between Uttarkashi to gangotri. The river Ganga is dying, because of twin and concurrent dangers of global warming and dams. Similarly rivers in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh are also being destroyed in this quest for hydroelectricity. Nuclear power gives us a hope, although slender, that such measures will be reversed in future.

While it is true that India twice voted against Iran at the IAEA, which was a very dumb thing to do, there is no conclusive proof that the nuclear deal directly affects India’s relationship with Islamic countries. In fact, foreign policy is the worst reason not to support the nuclear deal. Our country does not have a fu***** foreign policy. It was our desire for natural gas that kept us silent, when the people of Burma were protesting against the military junta in that country. We are absolutely non reactive to the events in Congo, Sudan, Zimbabwe or even Iraq and North Korea. India has always been an inward looking country, whose opinions matters a nought in the world stage. To say that nuclear deal will make us a client state of the USA is actually not true. Our foreign policy will remain as it was for last 30 years. Still, I don’t see why it is okay for the left to see the government do the bidding of Burmese junta for natural gas, and not do the same with the USA for uranium. Both these countries are ruled by oppressive and obsessive people.

While everybody is trying to act as an expert, the government is also guilty of not sharing the details with either the opposition or the people of the country. It is in the best interests of the country that this plutocratic government (or at least the arrogant prime minister) goes, yet taking into account all the details, there are more advantages of the nuclear deal for the country. For the sake of the people, we should support it, and focus our energy in more pressing issues that will be developed in future.