Doesn't DAE know that supplies of nuclear minerals are regulated under Nuclear Supplier Group guidelines, now that there is an operational Indo-US Nuclear deal involving multilateral investments for nuclear power in India? Why hasn't the monazite clearance certification been reintroduced by DAE for every export of placer sand consignments? Why aren't geiger counters issued to officials to detect radioactive thorium containing mineral consignments? Why hasn't the DAE notification of 2006 been withdrawan since the list of Atomic Minerals under the Act No 67 of Mines and Minerals Regulation Act Continues to include atomic minerals such as ilmenite, rutile, zircon, leucoxine, monazite? The failure of the DAE is shocking beyond comprehension considering the imperative for conserving and protecting the world's thorium reserves in India. | ||||
| 4 Sep 2013, 1750 hrs IST, TIMES NOW | ||||
It's a naturally occurring radioactive element and offers potential advantages over uranium. Thorium is a precious nuclear fuel - but India is squandering it. And now there's proof with TIMES NOW to show how mining for this precious nuclear fuel was allowed even as states chose to turn a blind eye. Mining for monazite which contains Thorium is allowed only by Government agency Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL) but in this case a private firm was recommended and shockingly by the state Government. VV Minerals have applied for a mining lease for Garnet, Illmenite, Rutile, Zircon, Sillimanite Leucoxene and Monazite in their patta lands. The District Collector has forwarded the mining lease application for consideration of grant of mining lease for a period of 30 years for the minerals indicated in the para above,a letter from Tamil Nadu Commissioner of Geology and Mining to Principal Secretary, Industries Department (Tamil Nadu) dated on December 12, 2011, said. Proof 2 of the open loot - this letter again showing how Monazite was conveniently edited from an agreement between a state agency and a private mining firm so it could go unnoticed. AV Bellarmin, former Nagercoil MP, CPM said, "Rules have been changed and the private sand mining mafia has destroyed the beaches of southern Tamil Nadu."It's a shame as India is the world's leading reserve for Thorium which is also part of India's 3 stage nuclear power programme - sadly we don't seem to care even as it's looted under the Government's watch." Take a look at a rough estimate into how much of nuclear fuel has already been lost and the figures that emerge are shocking. So why's the Government choosing to turn a blind eye? The allegations are that nearly 21 lakh tonnes of Monazite have been stolen and exported, which is equal to 195,300 tonnes of thorium, BJP MP Hansraj Gangaram Ahir's letter to Prime Minister said. No private entity or individual has ever been given permission to process monazite. Indian Rare Earths Limited, a PSU under the Department, is the only agency is the country that has been permitted to process monazite and to export the same in a very limited quantity,as per Department of Atomic Energy response said. On the face of it, the Department of Atomic Energy claims nobody has ever been given permission to mine for monazite but the truth on India's coast speaks a different story - and as the loot stands exposed - will we finally wake up or let this too get stolen? |
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Nuclear fuel illegally exported. Ongoing thorium loot -- Timesnow
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