Japan tsunami powers nuclear debate in India

As tsunami-hit Japan grapples with its worst ever crisis since World War II, the nuclear power debate has resumed with vigour in India.

“If this could happen to nuclear power reactors in Japan, can India hope to cope with something similar in the future?” sceptics ask.

This was the subject which nearly brought down the UPA in its first term. Today, the cries to shelve nuclear power projects are getting louder and the horror visuals coming in from Japan are being touted as evidence of the inherent dangers.

Not everyone in industry subscribes to this panic reaction though. “In the first place, India has never been known to handle crises effectively and you do not need nuclear power plants to drive home this point. Two, it was the tsunami that was the bigger trigger in Japan. Had it only stopped with the earthquake, the situation could have been better controlled,” industry sources told Business Line .

In their view, while there is no denying the fact that such acts of nature can leave a devastating trail, it would only be an alarmist reaction to press the panic button and call it quits to nuclear power projects. “On the contrary, it is important to soak in the lessons from Japan and ensure that all such plants can withstand quakes to the maximum extent possible,” sources said.

Likewise, there is no disputing the fact that there is precious little the strongest nations can do against something as ferocious and unpredictable as a tsunami. India, Thailand and other parts of Asia took the brunt in 2004 as much as Japan did a couple of days ago.

“It could be another country's turn next time around. Does that mean shutting down nuclear plants while waiting for the worst to happen?” an industry veteran asked.

If recent catastrophes are any indication, India's biggest problem lies in reacting quickly to them. The July 26 flooding in Mumbai six years ago is a case in point. Different parts of the country have, likewise, been ravaged by nature's unpredictable behaviour. The State has, more often than not, seldom displayed any sense of being in control of the situation.

“One needs to compare this with similar scenes in China, Japan and the US to understand where we stand,” the veteran added.

What then is the best bet for India? For years, debates have centered around the environment versus development dilemma. Today, the tsunami in Japan will be yet another reference point for the future. Where does one strike the balance?

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