40 feared dead in Iran, 20 in Pakistan; shockwaves felt in North India

Pakistan, specifically Balochistan, appears to have borne the brunt of the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that rocked the Iranian border province of Sistan-Baluchestan on Tuesday afternoon. While Pakistan confirmed the death of at least 20 people following the earthquake, there were conflicting reports from Tehran which ranged from no deaths to 40 dead. However, given the remoteness of the region from both capitals, the last word has not been said on the casualties.

The Union budget presented in Parliament on Thursday has provided an allocation of Rs. 150 crore for a neighbourhood development project at Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu, where a 2000 MW nuclear power plant is coming up.

The provision follows the Tamil Nadu government’s announcement of a Rs. 500 crore development plan for the region around Kudankulam. A note in the budget document stated that the allocation would be used to provide relief and rehabilitation to “project-affected” people of the area.

Authorities want systems to work “exactly textbook like” before plant is commissioned

There was no major issue behind the delay in the commissioning of the 2000 MW nuclear power plant at Kudankulam, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission R.K. Sinha told a group of reporters here. Dr. Sinha said that since it was the first reactor of its kind to be constructed in India, the authorities wanted the systems worked “exactly textbook like” before the commissioning of the plant. This was the main reason for the delay.

Manmohan Singh presents lifetime achievement award to four DAE scientists

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday reiterated that while the Centre went ahead with its nuclear energy programme to meet the growing energy needs of the country, it would continue to ensure that nuclear power remained totally safe. “The Fukushima incident in 2011 [has] raised justifiable safety concerns about nuclear power … We will ensure that the safety and livelihoods of people are not jeopardised in our pursuit of nuclear power,” Dr. Singh said.

In a rather unusual move, Railway Minister P.K. Bansal on Wednesday announced an across-the-board hike in passenger fares less than two months before presenting the Railway budget. The hike comes into effect from January 21. As a consolation, however, Mr. Bansal said there would be no further fare hike in the budget.

The increase ranges from two paise a km in the basic fare for second class ordinary (suburban) passengers to 10 paise a km for AC chair car and AC first class.

It will help in understanding the process of creation and decay of sunspots

Work on the world’s largest solar telescope is likely to commence in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir by the end of this year. The telescope, with an aperture of two metres, is expected to be of great help in understanding the process of creation and decay of sunspots, apart from furthering cutting edge research on other fundamental processes taking place on the Sun.

Pranab says Nobel Prize in sciences long overdue for the country

Debate over nuclear energy and genetically modified food has come to the fore again, with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday saying such “complex” issues should be approached through a structured debate and analysis, than being driven by faith or fear. “Complex issues, be they genetically modified food or nuclear energy or exploration of outer space, cannot be settled by faith, emotion and fear but by structured debate, analysis and enlightenment. A scientific approach and understanding of these issues are, therefore, as vital as our core scientific capabilities,” he said.

Pilot project under way in Haryana village comingunder Jindal’s constituency

The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and IT major Hewlett Packard on Tuesday announced the development of a system that would provide affordable healthcare to the rural poor and simultaneously facilitate better medicines for various ailments. The system is based on a combination of the latest in IT, cloud computing, and standard shipping containers, which have become unusable for normal freight movement.

A parliamentary panel has come down heavily on the Union Government for imposing limitations on liability amount as well as the duration of the liability period under the proposed rules under the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act.

Noting that the limitations imposed under Rule 24 of theCLND were not contemplated under the Act, the panel pointed out rules must be consistent with the substantial provisions of legislation.

Board is yet to develop 27 out of the 168 safety documents despite recommendations by two panels in 1987 and 1997

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) on Wednesday pulled up the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) for not preparing a nuclear and radiation safety policy for the country despite receiving a specific mandate to do so in the order constituting the Board as far back as 1983. In a scathing report tabled in Parliament, the CAG also noted that the Board had yet to develop 27 out of the 168 safety documents despite recommendations made by two panels in 1987 and 1997 that the process of developing safety documents be expedited.