International seminar on the role of nuclear energy for sustainable development

The Department of Atomic Energy in collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency, organised a two-day International Seminar on The Role of Nuclear Energy for Sustainable Development, during September 8 and 9, 1997 at New Delhi. Dr R. Chidambaram, Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission in his Welcome Address dealt with the disparity in per capita consumption of energy between developed and developing countries in the world and also told that for India the requirement of power generation capacity for accelerated growth and industrial and infrastructural development to attain a reasonable standard of living for all its citizens would call for substantial increase in the per capita electricity consumption. He also told that nuclear energy can play a very important role in meeting the future energy requirements of India. In the seminar a scenario where nuclear power is called upon to play a major role in meeting the energy requirements of mankind and the peaceful uses of nuclear energy like the application of radiation and radioactive isotopes in agriculture, industry, health care etc. was discussed in detail. The design and construction of fast breeder reactors, the indigenous design of advanced heavy water reactors with passive safety features, uranium resources for global energy requirements, manufacturing of nuclear components, fusion energy, role of nuclear energy in some countries like Brazil, Islamic Republic of Iran, France, China, Bangladesh and India were some of the other topics covered. Papers relevant to INIS are indexed separately