Context

Recently, archaeologists from Kerala University unearthed a 5,200-year old Harappan settlement at Padta Bet, around 1.5 km away, near Juna Khatiya, an Early Harappan necropolis, in Kutch district, Gujarat.

Archaeological excavation reveals 5,200-year-old Harappan Civilization Settlement in Kachchh, Gujarat

• Archaeobotanical samples too have been collected from the site for further identification of plant exploitation and to understand agricultural practices.
• Few years ago, archeologists had unearthed a mass burial site with 500 graves on the outskirts of Khatiya village in Gujarat’s Kutch district. 

Crucial Insights of the Recent Excavation On Harappan Settlement 

• Discovered: Archaeologists discovered the presence of the skeleton, along with pottery artefacts, animal bones, semi-precious stone beads made of carnelian and agate, terracotta spindle whorls, copper, lithic tools, cores and debitage, grinding stones and hammer stones.

• • Different Localities: Within the four-hectare area of Padta Bet, the researchers identified two localities:
    • Locality 1: Artefacts dating back to the Mature Harappan era (2600 BC to 1900 BC) and Late Harappan era (1900 BC to 1700 BC).
    • Locality 2: Artefacts from the Early Harappan era (3,200 BC to 2,600 BC), Mature Harappan era and Late Harappan era.

• Culture Formation and Evolution: Researchers believe that a network of such small Harappan settlements around the necropolis “might have played a significant role in the cultural formation of Early Harappan and subsequent occupations in this arid area.”
  • Change in Burial Process: While Juna Khatiya was a burial ground from the Early Harappan phase, the skeleton at Padta Bet possibly indicates a change in burial practice over time. 
    • It is an intentional burial and it is possible that the skeletal remains (excavated at Padta Bet) are from the Late Harappan era or there might be a practice to bury within the habitational limits. 
      • There is no burial from the Late Harappan era at Juna Khatiya.
• Significance: The latest find supports the theory that the graveyard site may have served as a common facility for a cluster of several such smaller settlements.

DOWNLOAD PDF

Context

Astronomers propose to place high-resolution telescopes on the moon’s surface and its orbit which includes the Pratush Radio Telescope from India.

• Objective: To study the Cosmic Dawn and Epoch of Reionization and spot signals from the Dark Ages (which would be essentially free from the influence of any starlight).

Why Renewed Push for Moon Based Telescopes? 

• Limitations of Earth Based Telescopes: 

  • Atmospheric disturbances: Optical telescopes (collect visible light at longer wavelengths) have to peer through layers of the planet’s atmosphere which makes it increasingly difficult for optical instruments to see through the polluted skies.
    • Electromagnetic interference: Radio telescopes (collect radio waves with the shortest wavelengths) have to contend with earth based Radio Frequency interference from the communications channels used by radar systems, aircraft, and satellites,  adding to the cacophony of the electromagnetic ‘hiss’.
    • Earth’s  ionosphere also  blocks radio waves coming from outer space.
    • Earth orbiting telescopes: They receive radio noise from the planet along with the signals from outer space. 

• Advantages of Lunar Surface for Observation: 

• • Radio -quiet location: Moon provides a pristine and airless desolation to the optical telescopes for crystal-clear viewing conditions throughout the lunar night lasting for  two weeks at a time.
  • No earth based RFI:  Radio telescopes on the lunar far side will be protected by  the moon itself as it will block  out the  radio transmissions from the earth and electrically charged plasma winds blowing from the Sun.

PRATUSH (Probing ReionizATion of the Universe using Signal from Hydrogen)

• About: Pratush Radio Telescope is a future radiometer in lunar orbit.
• Built by: The Raman Research Institute (RRI) in Bengaluru with active collaboration from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
• Payloads: Pratush Radio Telescope will carry a wideband frequency-independent antenna, a self-calibrating analog receiver and a digital correlator
• Placed at: Initially will be placed around earth orbit and after some fine-tuning, ISRO will be placed into moon’s orbit.

• Objective: To reveal the Cosmic Dawn of our Universe and answer the question of when the first stars formed in our universe, the nature of the first stars, the color of the light of Cosmic Dawn and  will inform us of the first rays of the first suns in the infant universe.

DOWNLOAD PDF

Context

Recently, a 28-year-old Dutch woman legally ended her life due to her struggle with crippling depression, autism and personality disorder.

French President Presents a Bill on Assisted Dying

• In January 2024, the French President presented a Bill on assisted dying to legalize euthanasia for the terminally ill.
• Living wills implementation lags in India even after the six years of the Supreme Court declaring that Indians have the right to die with dignity.

About Euthanasia

• Refers: The practice under which an individual intentionally ends his/her life to get relief from an incurable condition, or intolerable suffering.
• Types of Euthanasia: There are four types of euthanasia.
  • Active euthanasia: It involves an active intervention to end a person’s life with substances or external force, such as administering a lethal injection.                                                 
  • Passive euthanasia: It refers to withdrawing life support or treatment that is essential to keep a terminally ill person alive.
  • Voluntary euthanasia: It takes place with the consent of the patient. 
  • Involuntary euthanasia: It is administered without the patient’s consent. 

Euthanasia In India

• Aruna Ramchandra Shanbaug v. Union of India (2011): In this case, the Supreme Court had held that passive euthanasia can be allowed under exceptional circumstances.
• Common Cause vs. Union of India (2018): The Supreme Court allowed passive euthanasia while recognising the living wills of terminally-ill patients who could go into a permanent vegetative state, and issued guidelines regulating this procedure.
  • Living Will: A living will is a legal document that specifies the type of medical care that an individual does or does not want in the event they are unable to communicate their wishes.
  • It is also known as an advance directive.
• In 2023 the Supreme Court modified the guidelines to make the right to die with dignity more accessible.

Global Trends

• Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium: These Countries allow both euthanasia and assisted suicide for anyone who faces “unbearable suffering” that has no chance of improvement.
• Switzerland:  Switzerland has banned euthanasia but allows assisted dying in the presence of a doctor or physician.
• Canada:  Canada had announced that euthanasia and assisted dying would be allowed for mentally ill patients by March 2023; however, the decision has been widely criticized, and the move may be delayed.
• United States: USA has different laws in different states. Euthanasia is allowed in some states like Washington, Oregon, and Montana.
• United Kingdom: The United Kingdom considers it illegal and equivalent to manslaughter.

DOWNLOAD PDF

Context

Recently, India rejected the allegations of human rights and environmental abuses raised by a Chicago-based human rights group.

India Refutes Allegations on Shrimp Hatcheries 

• Allegations: A report from Corporate Accountability Lab (CAL) alleged working conditions in some shrimp hatcheries, growing ponds and peeling sheds.
• Rejection by India: India rejected the allegations by mentioning that the entire value chain for India’s shrimp exports is certified by the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) and there is no scope for such concerns about overseas shipments. 
• Action taken by India: 
  • Conduct of Independent Studies: The Commerce Ministry advised exporters to commission independent studies on the working conditions at shrimp farms to eliminate the concerns in major markets like the U.S. and EU. 
  • Specific Involvement: The Commerce Ministry has also asked the Andhra Pradesh government to look into the allegations made in the CAL report, such as workers facing ‘dangerous and abusive conditions’.

India’s Position on Shrimps

• Progressive Export: In 2022-23, India’s seafood exports stood at $8.09 billion and shrimps contributed to $5.6 billion. 
  • India has emerged as one of the world’s largest shrimp exporters and its share in the U.S. market has risen from 21% to 40% in 2022-23.
• Target: India aims to scale up seafood exports to ₹1 lakh crore by 2025-26.
• Shrimp Producing States in India: Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, and Gujarat. 
  • Shrimp farming is also taking roots in the states like Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.
    • Andhra Pradesh accounts for the largest market share. There are about a lakh shrimp farms, alone account for almost 70% of India’s shrimp output. 
• Women-Inclusive Sector: Women share about 70% of the 8 million-odd jobs in the sector, including two lakh in hatcheries and aquaculture farms and the rest in processing and freezing units.

DOWNLOAD PDF

Context

A massive earthquake hit Taiwan in which nine people died and more than 800 got injured.

Taiwan Earthquake: Key Highlights

• Earthquake Magnitude: Although Taiwan’s earthquake monitoring agency reported the quake as a magnitude 7.2, the US Geological Survey (USGS) recorded it as a magnitude 7.4 earthquake.
• Epicentre of Earthquake: The epicenter of the quake was located just 18 kilometers south-southwest of Hualien County, which is situated in eastern Taiwan. 
• Proximity to the Pacific Ring of Fire: Taiwan is prone to earthquakes as it lies along the Pacific “Ring of Fire” where 90% of the world’s earthquakes take place. 

What is the Ring of Fire?

• About: The Ring of FireThe Ring of Fire, also referred to as the Circum-Pacific Belt is essentially a string of hundreds of volcanoes and earthquake-sites which runs along the Pacific Ocean. 
  • It is a semicircle or horse shoe in shape and stretches nearly 40,250 kilometers. 
• Plate Convergence in the Ring of Fire: The Ring of Fire traces the meeting points of numerous tectonic plates, including the Eurasian, North American, Juan de Fuca, Cocos, Caribbean, Nazca, Antarctic, Indian, Australian, Philippine, and other smaller plates, which all encircle the large Pacific Plate.
  • It runs through 15 more countries including the USA, Indonesia, Mexico, Japan, Canada, Guatemala, Russia, Chile, Peru, and the Philippines.

Why is the Ring of Fire Vulnerable to Earthquakes?

• Tectonic Plate Interactions: The high occurrence of earthquakes in the Ring of Fire is attributed to the continual sliding, colliding, or subduction of tectonic plates against one another.
  • Due to the roughness of their edges, tectonic plates get stuck with one another while the rest of the plate keeps moving.
  • Earthquakes occur when the plate shifts sufficiently, causing the edges to release along a fault line.
• Reason for earthquakes in Taiwan: Taiwan experiences earthquakes due to the interactions of tectonic plates — the Philippine Sea Plate and the Eurasian Plate and the Sunda plate.

Why Are there So Many Volcanoes in the Ring of Fire?

• The existence of volcanoes in the Ring of Fire is also due to the movement of tectonic plates. 
• Subduction of Plates: Many of the volcanoes have been formed through a process known as subduction. 
  • This occurs when two plates collide, with the heavier plate being pushed beneath the other, resulting in the formation of a deep trench.
  • The process involves the downward movement of an oceanic plate, such as the Pacific Plate, into a hotter mantle plate. 
• Production of Magma: As the oceanic plate is pushed deeper, it heats up and volatile elements mix, resulting in the production of magma. 
  • This magma then ascends through the overlying plate and erupts at the surface, forming volcanoes.
  • The Ring of Fire, where most subduction zones are concentrated, hosts a significant number of volcanoes due to this process.

DOWNLOAD PDF

Context

Recently, the UK and the US signed an agreement on Artificial Intelligence (AI) safety testing.

• Last year, the EU reached a deal with member states on its AI Act which includes safeguards on the use of AI within the EU.

Crucial Insights of the UK US AI Safety Agreement

• Sharing of Information: Both countries will share vital information about the capabilities and risks associated with AI models and systems. 
  • They will also share fundamental technical research on AI safety and security with each other, and work on aligning their approach towards safely deploying AI systems.
• Joint Testing & Personnel Exchange: They intend to perform at least one joint testing exercise on a publicly accessible model. They also intend to tap into a collective pool of expertise by exploring personnel exchanges between the Institutes.
• Risk Addressal: This move comes as the world is moving fast with the proliferation of AI systems. Although these systems offer opportunities, they pose a significant threat to a number of societal set-ups, from misinformation to election integrity.
• A Common Approach: The US and the UK AI Safety Institutes have also laid out plans to build a common approach to AI safety testing and effective tackling of risks.
  • Both have also committed to develop similar partnerships with other countries to promote AI safety across the globe.

DOWNLOAD PDF

Context

Uttarakhand government has formed expert teams to assess the risk of five glacial lakes prone to Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) in the Himalayas. 

NDMA Identifies Five Glacial Lakes of Uttarakhand Are in Highest Risk

• The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), under the Ministry of Home Affairs, has identified 188 Himalayan glacial lakes prone to breaching due to heavy rainfall.
• Thirteen of these lakes are in Uttarakhand
  • These lakes have been categorized into three risk levels: ‘A’, ‘B’, and ‘C’, based on their susceptibility to GLOFs.
• Five glacial lakes are classified as highly sensitive (‘A’ category) due to their increased risk of GLOFs.
  • These lakes include Vasudhara Tal in the Dhauliganga basin in Chamoli district.
  • Four lakes are in Pithoragarh district: 
    • Maban Lake in Lassar Yangti Valley, Pyungru Lake in the Darma basin.
    • The Two unclassified lakes are  in the Darma and Kuthi Yangti Valley.
      • The areas of these five lakes range from 0.02 to 0.50 square kilometers.
      • They are situated at elevations ranging from 4,351 meters to 4,868 meters above sea level.

What is Glacial Lake?

• Glacial lakes are water bodies formed from melting glaciers. 
• Distribution of lakes: Glacial lakes are commonly situated in close proximity to the edges of glaciers and ice sheets.
  • Ice-contact lakes: Initially, these lakes are connected to the ice, known as ice-contact lakes.
  • Ice-distal lakes: As glaciers move and retreat, these lakes become separated from the ice, transitioning into ice-distal lakes.
• Types of sediments: These lakes contain sediments like organic muds, glacial clays, silty clays, and sands, depending on how and when they were formed.
• Factors affecting distribution of sediments: The surrounding drainage basin and the chemical makeup of the water.

Formation of Glacial Lake

• Carving of land and making hollows: When glaciers move across the land, it carves the land and  makes hollows. 
• Filling of hollows: Later, when the glacier melts, the hollows get filled with water, creating a glacial lake

What are Glacial Lake outburst Floods?

• Definition: Glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) are sudden releases of water and sediment from lakes blocked by natural barriers like moraines or glacier ice.
  • These are known for the most powerful freshwater floods, with immense volumes, discharges, and sediment transport rates.
• Formation of landscapes: They reshape landscapes by causing erosion, sediment buildup, and changes in river courses.
• Factors causing expansion: As glaciers retreat and glacial lakes expand due to climate change, the risk posed by GLOFs is growing.

Causes of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods

• Dam formation: These lakes form when melted glacier water collects in  depressions created by glacier activity, like rocks, sediment, and ice.
• Triggering Events: GLOFs are often triggered by events like ice or rock falling, earthquakes, or heavy rainfall, weakening or breaking the natural dams and causing sudden water release.
• Global temperatures: GLOF events have increased due to rising global temperatures as Warmer temperatures can weaken the ice or sediment barriers holding back the water, making them more susceptible to breaking.
  • According to a 2021 study titled ‘Locked Houses, Fallow Lands: Climate Change and Migration in Uttarakhand, India’, the hill’s annual average maximum temperature may increase by 1.6-1.9 degrees Celsius.
    • This temperature rise is projected to occur between the years 2021 and 2050.

Glacial Lake Outburst Floods Mitigation Measures

• GLOF Mitigation measures aim to reduce the volume of water to reduce risk of flood. 
• It can be mitigated using various techniques. 
  • Controlled Breaching of Moraine Dam: Intentional Breaching of moraine dam controls water release from the glocal lake. 
  • Construction of Outlet Control Structure: This technique includes building an outlet control structure. This structure helps to regulate water and controls water release. 
  • Pumping or Siphoning Water: Using pumps to reduce water helps to control water volume. In this way, it reduces hydrostatic pressure on the moraine dam which further reduces GLOF event. 
  • Tunnelling Through Moraine Barrier or Under Ice Dam: This technique provides an alternative path for water to flow, leading to reduction in sudden outburst of GLOF events. 
  • Mechanism used for GLOF Mitigation
  • Early warning/Monitoring:   Early warning is a provision of timely and effective information by the institutions to reduce risk of catastrophe. 
    • Monitoring helps to detect instability of glacial lakes through remote sensing technologies such as satellite imagery and aerial surveys. 
    • Effective monitoring and early warning systems help to prepare for disaster in time. 
      • In India, various measures have been established at Sutlej River basin.
      • Similarly, Telemetry stations have been established at Sumdo and Khaab, where rivers converge.  
      • In addition to above, The Naptha-Jhakri project at Dubling helps to monitor water levels. 

Glacial Lake Outburst Floods in Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand witnessed two significant GLOF events so far: 

• Kedarnath valley: This event happened in June 2013, affecting Kedarnath valley with significant loss of life. 
• Chamoli district: This Glof event occurred  in February 2021, causing flash floods in Chamoli district due to a glacier lake burst.

DOWNLOAD PDF

Context

Recently, the Forest Department and Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Devasthanam (SLNSD) at Ahobilam have imposed certain restrictions on visitors arriving at the shrine, situated within the Nallamala forest.

Ahobilam Paruveta Utsavam Declared a ‘State festival’ by Andhra Pradesh Government

• Recently, the centuries-old ‘Paruveta Utsavam’ (mock hunting festival) observed at the Ahobilam Sri Narasimha Swamy temple has been declared a ‘State festival’ by the Andhra Pradesh government. 
• Reason of Restriction: The restrictions have been imposed in the wake of the intense heat wave that can impact the movement of wild animals. 
  • To ensure the safety of animals, the department has already banned all forms of plastic such as sachets, water cups, tea cups and bottles.

About Ahobilam Shrine

• Location: It is located in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh in the Nallamala ranges of the eastern ghats, about 400 km northwest of Chennai.
• Comprises: The temple consists of nine shrines to Lord Narasimha located around a 5 km circle.
• • These are Jwala Narasimha, Ahobila Narasimha, Malola Narasimha, Kroda Narasimha, Karanja Narasimha, Bhargava Narasimha, Yogananda Narasimha, Kshatravata Narasimha and Pavana or holy Narasimha.
  • There is also a temple for Prahaladavarada Varadhan in the foothills of the mountain. 
    • Due to security reasons and the difficulty in performing daily worship, many of the utsava vigrahas of the nine shrines are kept in this temple.
• Also known as: Singavel Kundram, Nava Narasimha Kshetramm, Garudadri, Garudachalam and Garudasailam.
• Historical Significance: Ahobilam is the place where the Lord Narasimha killed Hiranyakasipu and saved Prahalada. 
  • Mahalakshmi took avathar as Senjulakshmi among the Senju, tribal hunters of the hills, and married the Lord.
• Mentioned in: Mahabharatha, Brahmanda Purana, Sthala Purana, Kurma Purana, Padma Purana and Vishnu Purana.
  • • As per the Brahmanda Purana, Ahobilam is the Avatara Sthala of Bhaghavan Narasimha, and it is a Kruthayuga Kshetra. It is one of the 108 Sri Vaishnava Divya Desams. 
    • As per the Sthala Purana, the lord Narasimha tore to pieces Hiranyakasipu.
    • Sri Thirumangai Alwar, one of the Alwars who lived in the 8th century AD, composed ten Pasurams on Ahobilam.
  • Ahobilam has abundant architectural and epigraphical evidence, chronicled right from the times of the Chalukyas in the eighth century AD.
    • An inscription of Chalukya Kirthivarman II, found at Peddapeta, refers to the name of a person as Vobula (a colloquial form of Ahobila).
  • Ahobilam Kaifiyat, forming part of Mackenzie collections gives very valuable information regarding the Ahobilam temples. The Ahobilam Kaifiyat is in Telugu.
    • Kaifiyats are the digests from ‘Kaviles’ or village registers containing information on the political, social, religious and other conditions of the villages in Deccan were prepared by Pandits and Mussadis working under Col. Mackenzie. 

DOWNLOAD PDF

Context

According to a study by the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, India must prioritize investment in the nuclear energy sector and expand related infrastructure to become a developed nation by 2047 and achieve net zero by 2070.

About the IIM Ahmedabad Study On India’s Nuclear Power Development

• From Coal to Nuclear Power: The study emphasized the importance of India phasing down coal usage in the next three decades.
  • It  highlighted the significance of flexible grid infrastructure and storage to facilitate the integration of renewable energy sources.
• Methodology: The authors used mathematical models to estimate what proportion of various sources of energy would be required by 2030 and 2050 to arrive at an ideal scenario of net zero emissions by 2070. 
  • It considered the situation where India’s population attains a human development index comparable to Western European countries, alongside a decrease in the cost of accessing energy.
• Funded by: the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India.
• Scenario Postulated by Report:  It postulates four situations:
  • There is a “thrust” on nuclear energy
  • Thrust on expanding fossil fuel use along with employing carbon capture and storage
  • Third with an emphasis on renewable energy (solar, wind)
  • One that combines all of these.

Key Findings of IIM Ahmedabad Study

• Vision Document for Nuclear Energy:  The Department of Atomic Energy is preparing a vision document for ‘Amrit Kaal‘ which aims to reach a nuclear capacity of about 100 GW by 2047.
  • It is an increase from the current production of over 8,000 MW with contributions from various sources. 
• Projection for Net Zero Scenario: The best case scenario projected emissions to fall to 0.55 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide by 2070 (Net Zero).
  • This translated to nuclear power rising fivefold from today’s levels to 30 GW (gigawatt) by 2030 and 265 GW by 2050. 
• Share of Nuclear Power in Energy Mix: The contribution of nuclear power would be 4% of India’s total energy by 2030 and sharply rise to 30% by 2050 and the share of solar power falls from 42% in 2030 to 30% in 2050.
  • Currently, nuclear energy makes up only 1.6% of India’s energy mix.
• Sources of Nuclear Power: Breeder reactors are expected to contribute 3 GW of nuclear power, while 17.6 GW will come from light water reactors with international cooperation, and an additional 40-45 GW from pressurised heavy water reactors.

Nuclear Energy

• About: Nuclear energy is a form of energy released from the nucleus, the core of atoms, made up of protons and neutrons. 
• Production Methods: This energy source can be produced in two ways:
• • Nuclear Fission: when nuclei of atoms split into several parts
  • Nuclear Fusion: when nuclei fuse together.
• Current: The nuclear energy harnessed worldwide today to produce electricity is through nuclear fission, while the technology to generate electricity from fusion is in the R&D phase. 

Status of Nuclear Power Capacity in India

• Installed nuclear power capacity:  The present installed nuclear power capacity in India is 7480 MW comprising 23 nuclear power reactors (July 2023).
• Share in Total Energy Mix: Currently, nuclear energy accounts for 3% of the total power generation share, which results in an annual savings of about 41 MtCO2.
• This is among the lowest in countries that do use nuclear energy.

Advantages of Nuclear Energy

• Clean Energy Source: It is a clean source of energy with a minimal carbon footprint. There is negligible release of emissions during the electricity generation process.
  • According to IAEA, even when the entire life cycle is considered, greenhouse gas emissions are only in the range of 5 to 6 grams per kilowatt hour. 
  • This is more than 100 times lower than coal-fired electricity, and about half the average of solar and wind generation.
• Perennial Availability:  Unlike wind or solar which are season or time-dependent, it is available throughout the year.
  • It is thus suitable for baseload electricity generation that solar or wind projects are unable to do unless breakthroughs in battery storage technologies come along.
• Ease to Use: Nuclear power plants (NPP) also have low operating costs, smaller land imprint and a longer life cycle compared to all the other renewable energy sources.
• Energy security: Energy security through reduced dependence on imported fossil fuels and critical minerals. Nuclear electricity production costs are less sensitive to changes in fuel prices than electricity from oil and gas. 
  • Uranium is available from a range of diverse producer countries, and is incredibly energy dense, meaning comparatively low volumes are required. 
  • Enough uranium fuel for several years of electricity production can also be easily stored on the site of nuclear power plants. 
• Decarbonisation of Energy-Intensive Industries: Industries such as steel production, which use coal for heating and hydrogen production, could also be decarbonized using nuclear power with advanced reactors to produce high temperature steam. 
• Resource Efficiency: Solar power needs more than 17 times as much material and 46 times as much land to produce one unit of energy. 
  • A single large nuclear power plant can replace multiple coal-fired power plants to meet the same energy demand. 

Potential to Help in Achieving Net Zero by 2070

• Reducing Carbon emissions:

• • The nuclear generation capacity can save 240–550 MtCO2  under Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) scenarios and about 605–1995 MtCO2  under Net- Zero scenarios. 

• High Energy Potential: 

  • Nuclear plants, like the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant, showcase the ability to generate large amounts of energy from a relatively small infrastructure.
    • Currently, KNPP houses two operational units each with a capacity of 1,000 MW, totaling 2,000 MW of electricity generation.
    • However, the real potential of this plant lies in its expansion. The construction of units three and four commenced in 2017 with an aim to operationalize them by 2023 and 2024, respectively.
    • Additionally, the fifth and sixth units are under construction as of 2021.
    • Once all six units are commissioned, estimated by 2027, the power plant will have a combined capacity of 6,000 MW, making it the largest nuclear power station in India.
• Energy Security: Nuclear energy, leveraging India’s domestic thorium reserves, can enhance the nation’s energy security, as manifested in the three-stage nuclear power program.

How will Nuclear Energy Help in Achieving the Aim of Viksit Bharat?

• Growth in Primary Energy Consumption: 

  • India is expected to surpass Germany and Japan and move up from number five to number three position which will trigger demand for energy. 
    • Thus, leading to growth in primary energy consumption which is already the third-highest globally. Most of this is based on fossil energy. 

• Balancing Energy Use and Development: 

  • The developmental aspirations of India require a manifold increase in per-capita energy use even if it transitions to net-zero GHG emission. 
    • The inability to meet this dual challenge would mean either compromising on development or failing to realise the net-zero target timeframe or both.
    • The per capita electricity consumption in India has reported consistent growth from 914 kWh in 2012-13 to 1208 kWh in 2020 which is an increase of 32 percent.

• Achieving Human Development Index (HDI): 

• • India needs to reach a Human Development Index (HDI) comparable to advanced countries of the world. 
    • For this, as per prevailing correlations, a minimum of 2,400 kilogram oil equivalent (kgoe) energy consumption per capita per year is needed. The total clean energy requirement to support a developed India would be around 25,000 — 30,000 TWhr/yr. 
    • This is more than four times our present energy consumption.

Challenges with Nuclear Energy

• Nuclear Disaster: Nuclear fission reactions are highly radioactive and radiation leaks from reactors can prove fatal for human beings. 
  • Example: Radiation leaks in Chernobyl, 1986 and disaster in Fukushima, 2011. 
• Capital Intensive: Nuclear power plants are capital intensive and recent nuclear builds have suffered major cost overruns. 
  • Example: The V.C. Summer nuclear project in South Carolina (U.S.), costs rose so sharply that the project was abandoned after an expenditure of over US$ 9 billion.
• Availability of Cheap Alternatives: Solar and Wind energy are cheap and effective alternatives as they promise to provide electricity between INR 2-4/unit. 
• Waste Generation: Nuclear power plants produce highly radioactive waste that must be carefully managed and stored for many years. 
  • Its waste is extremely toxic and harmful to the environment. 
• Exhaustible: Materials used to generate nuclear energy are exhaustible. Example: Uranium
• Environmental Impacts: Uranium mining, the initial step in nuclear energy production has been linked to habitat destruction, soil and water contamination, and adverse health effects for communities near mining sites. 
  • The extraction and processing of uranium require vast amounts of energy, often derived from nonrenewable sources, further compromising the environmental credentials of nuclear power.
• Others: Transition to net zero involves massive transformation of energy systems, involving new technologies, restructuring of energy systems at supply-and-demand ends and large costs. For a large and developing country like India, the challenge of reaching net zero is much bigger.

Way Forward

• Strategic Reserve of Nuclear Fuel: 

  • India needs to develop a strategy to build nuclear capacity with a strategic reserve of nuclear fuel to guard against disruption of supply over the lifetime of its reactors.

• Developing Safe Nuclear Technologies: 

• • The nuclear technologies belonging to generation III+ and generation IV being developed today are considered safer as they reduce the probability of severe accidents and also limit the offsite consequences of the accidents.

• Policy support: 

  • The share of nuclear technologies in electricity generation could be improved through adequate policy support.
  • This should include in terms of sharing of regulatory costs, R&D costs, incentives for achieving specific technological milestones, and production credits for successful demonstration of new designs.

• Financial Support: 

• • to the Central Electricity Authority, solar energy accounts for 16% of India’s installed generation capacity and coal 49%. 

• • To achieve these figures for nuclear energy would require a doubling of investments and uranium, a critical fuel but restricted by international embargo, is available in necessary quantities.
  • Overall, India would need close to ₹150-200 lakh crore between 2020-2070 to finance these transitions.

• Adequate Infrastructure:  

  • To phase down coal by 2070, India needs to build adequate infrastructure for alternative sources such as nuclear power, in addition to flexible grid infrastructure and storage to support the integration of renewable energy.

• Mobilisation of Private Capital: 

  • Private capital must also be mobilized, and financial flows need to be augmented through developed countries. 
    • Article 9 of the Paris Agreement specifies that developed countries should provide developing countries with a finance of USD 100 billion annually up to 2025 and beyond to support Net Zero transition and climate change adaptation actions. 
    • 15% of the overall green finance flows is sourced overseas, but only 5% of that comes from the private sector. 

• Small Modular Nuclear Reactor (SMR):  

  • They have a maximum capacity of 300 MW which can be installed in decommissioned thermal power plant sites by repurposing existing infrastructure.
    • This prevents the need to acquire more land and/or displace people beyond the existing site boundary.
    • SMRs are designed with a smaller core damage frequency (the likelihood that an accident will damage the nuclear fuel).
    • They have a source term (a measure of radioactive contamination) compared to conventional Nuclear power plants (NPPs).

• Need for Cooperative Model: 

• • Successful financial practices that can be followed.
    • Examples: In the cooperative funding models of France, South Korea, Russia, and the U.K., a group of investors raise credit from the market and take full responsibility for project delivery. 
      • In Finland, large power plants have been funded by multiple private companies since the 1970s using a cooperative finance model called ‘Mankala’. 
      • Under this model, companies jointly own energy producers and share the costs of building and operating plants. 

DOWNLOAD PDF