Newsclick discusses with D Raghunandan the repurcussions of the proposed Nuclear Power Plant at Gorakhpur in Haryana. There are many problems with this proposed plant, specially relating to siting and sources of water. The only possible source of water for the NPP is the Bhakra canal. Apart from this, the site has a high density of population around. Raghunandan feels there is a political commitment to go ahead with nuclear technology, regardless of costs. He says all sources of energy should be evaluated dispassionately, clearly taking into account the costs, risks, potential benefits, and then the more suitable one should be opted. He thinks such an analysis would put nuclear energy at the bottom of this.

Last two weeks have brought out that cyber

Prabir Purkayastha of the Delhi Science Forum comments on state of nuclear energy today, a year after the Fukushima Nuclear Accident following a massive earthquake and tsunami in Japan. He explains these in the context of protests against nuclear plants in India today.

Protests against the two Russian VVER nuclear reactors being built in Kudankulam were low key all along, but after the Fukushima accident, this opposition has gained momentum.

D. Raghunandan of the All India Peoples' Science Network argues for an independent review of nuclear safety measures and audit said to be concluded by the Atomic Energy establishment of the Indian government. Protestors in Kudankulam and elsewhere are unwilling to trust the government's claims of safety of the nuclear reactors, because there is a large credibility gap. This can only be breached if an effort is made to bestow autonomy to the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board and safety concerns after the Fukushima incident over nuclear energy are sufficiently allayed through independent review of the existing programme.

Dr. Satyajit Rath , National Institute of Immunology, talks to Newsclick about events unfolding in Fukushima.