How Nuclear Energy Waste Disposed & Managed in Indian Atomic Energy Centers

As part of the Theme of  February.I am bring forward a very interesting post which I posted on 12/17/09.Please enjoy reading the article.

In India, Radioactive waste management facilities are located at seven DAE (Department of Atomic Energy) centers, namely Trombay, Tarapur, Kalpakkam, Rawatbhata, Narora, Kakrapar and Kaiga. These facilities have been designed, constructed and commissioned based on the research and development programme which was initiated four decades ago alongwith the inception of nuclear energy programmed in the country. The facilities incorporate waste management systems for treatment and disposal of radioactive waste generated in the form of gas, liquid and solid.

Radioactive gaseous waste is decontaminated at source by treatment processes like demisters, adsorption, filtration through high efficiency particulate air filters etc and after monitoring, discharged through tall stacks for further dispersion.

Radioactive liquid and solid waste is categorized as low, intermediate and high level radioactive waste based on the activity content. The waste is segregated and provided treatment to retain bulk of the radioactivity.

Low & intermediate level radioactive liquid wastes are subjected to treatments such as chemical, ion exchange, evaporation and membrane separation. The bulk of the radioactivity is removed and conditioned in a suitable matrix like cement. The solidified waste is packaged in suitable containers and are stored/disposed in near surface disposal facilities. These facilities are designed on multi-barrier principal and have elaborate monitoring and surveillance provisions. The treated effluents are monitored and discharged well within the authorized limits to the environment.

High level waste is vitrified into borosilicate glass matrix and encapsulated in steel canisters. These canisters are later stored for interim period in specially made air cooled facilities.

All these Adequate arrangements have been made for the disposal of nuclear energy waste in the country by DAE (Department of Atomic Energy)


Indi Proff

International Congress of Mathematics 2010 to be conducted in August at Hyderabad, India

Website Details: http://www.icm2010.org.in/

this is an initial post by Indi Proff.. More details in few more days


Indi Proff
http://indiproff.blogspot.com/
courtesy: icm website

Check out this beautiful Indian Research Website: Center for Marine Living Resources and Ecology

Visit this beautiful Indian research website on Marine life and Ecology to get a feel of Marine life.....Excellent design... dive through the website... enjoy.....

Website Details: http://www.cmlre.gov.in/welcome.html


Indi Proff
http://indiproff.blogspot.com/

India has set the stage for Genetically Modified Brinjal....know its effects

After the contraversial episode of BT Cotton or Genetically Modified(GM) Cotton .. now Indian Governement is after BT Brinjal or Genetically Modified Brinjal. This time the Ministry of Enivronment and Forest has taken strict measures to check the safety and efficency of BT brinjal. But there are both favourable and unfavourable conditions on the commercialization of this seed from various people and organisations in the country. Before getting in this detail... let us know more about BT Brinjal's effects.

The data generated on the safety, efficacy and performance of Bt brinjal conclude that Bt brinjal is safe for the consumers and the environment and is expected to provide enhanced economic benefits to farmers accrued from higher marketable yield and lower usage of pesticide sprays.

DNA is present in all living things such as plants, animals, microorganisms and is eaten by human beings with every meal. Most of it is broken down into more basic molecules during the digestion process whereas a small amount that is not broken down is either absorbed into the blood stream or excreted. So far there is no evidence to indicate that DNA from genetically modified foods has any additional risk to human health than DNA from conventional crops, animals or associated microorganisms that are normally eaten.

As per the regulatory requirement, the applicant has undertaken extensive biosafety assessment which includes environmental safety assessment as well as food and feed safety even if it has been approved for commercial cultivation in other countries. The environmental safety assessment includes studies on pollen escape out- crossing, aggressiveness and weediness, effect of the gene on non-target organisms, presence of the protein in soil and its effect on soil micro-flora, confirmation of the absence of Terminator Gene and baseline susceptibility studies. The food and feed safety assessment studies include composition analysis, allergenicity and toxicological studies and feeding studies on fish, chicken, cows and buffaloes. The biosafety data concludes that Bt brinjal is effective in controlling target pests, safe to environment, non-toxic in toxicity and animal feeding tests, non- allergenic and has potential to benefit the farmers

As the Ministry of Environment and Forests has received strong views both in favour and against commercialization of Bt brinjal in India from various stakeholders including the State Governments, farmers, civil societies, NGOs and scientists, the Ministry has decided to hold national consultations with the stakeholders before a final view on the environmental release of Bt brinjal is taken.

(This information was given by the Shri Namo Narain Meena, Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance and currently looking after Ministry of Environment and Forests in a return reply to question by Dr. Malasamy in the Rajya Sabha today 14th Dec.)

Indi Proff
http://indiproff.blogspot.com/