 | The former Indian President Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam said “It has become essential to pursue the development of nuclear power using thorium, reserves of which are high in the country, to meet the increased needs of power.” |
| Recently we reported on a Government of India press release called “Thorium as a Safe and Clean Energy Source”. Now, the former President Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam delivered a talk titled "Livable planet earth" at JSS College for Arts, Science and Commerce. He spoke about the evolution of human species, the generation of conflicts, environment and energy independence, and sustainable development. “It has become essential to pursue the development of nuclear power using thorium, reserves of which are high in the country, to meet the increased needs of power,” Dr. Kalam said. The nuclear power capacity is expected to increase to 30,000 MW from the current 7,000 MW by 2020. “There is a need to increase this to 50,000 MW by 2030 through the combination of uranium and thorium-based reactors,” Dr. Kalam said. The power generating capacity should increase to 400,000 MW by 2030 from the current 130,000 MW, he suggested. Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, who is an Indian scientist and administrator, served as the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007. He graduated in physics in 1954 and is known as the Missile Man of India for his work on the development of ballistic missile and launch vehicle technology. Dr. Kalam is also the author of "India 2020: A Vision for the New Millennium". The book examines in depth the weakness and the strength of India as a nation, and offers a vision of how India can emerge to be among the world's first four economic powers by 2020. The Book is dedicated to a young girl whom Kalam met and asked as "what is your dream" for which the young girl replied "I want to live in a developed India." As the father of Indian nuclear programme, Homi Jehangir Bhabha said: "No Power is costlier than No Power"  Thorium as a Safe and Clean Energy Source, Government of India Kalam stresses need for alternative fuels, The Hindu |