BARC is a unique DAE site: Gowarikar

Mumbai, Nov 10 (UNI) Former scientific advisor to the Prime Minister Vasant Gowarikar today described the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) at Tarapur as a unique Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) site.

Dr Gowarikar, who is presently the chairman of the Rajiv Gandhi Science and Technology Commission, while speaking at the inaugural function of BARC's golden jubilee celebrations here, said the DAE has a number of facilities at Tarapur and this location has a special place in Indian Nuclear Power Programme.

He pointed out that the nuclear fuel cycle is closed at Tarapur, and the spent fuel from the nuclear power reactor is reprocessed and the valuable fissile material recovered, is used for fabrication of fuel for further use.

The nuclear waste produced by the reactor reprocessing plant and fuel fabrication plant is treated and stored, he pointed out.

A number of new facilities like Spent Fuel Storage Facility (SFSF) and Advanced Vitrification System (AVS) have already been commissioned at Tarapur, while a number of new facilities have been planned, he noted.

''It is easy to establish an organization but to sustain it for 50 years is a very difficult task,'' Dr Gowarikar pointed out.

Atomic Energy Commission chairman Dr Anil Kakodkar, while speaking on the occasion, assured that the march started by Homi Bhabha in the field of atomic energy will continue. ''Sustaining excellence over a long period is indeed a great challenge. We need leaders with right value systems to make sure organizations run with ethics that is the characteristic of each institution,'' Dr Kakodkar said.

By adhering to right values systems, BARC will maintain excellence not for just 50 years but for several centuries, he said.

UNI LS MAZ RL PM2240