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Kalam and Principal Scientific Advisor to Prime Minister R Chidambaram rejected the claims of K Santhanam, formerly with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), who used his argument to make the point that India should not sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) as it will have to carry out more tests to verify its thermonuclear technology. Incidentally, a review meeting of the CTBT is slated in the next few weeks.
Chidambaram, who was chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and Secretary, Department of Atomic Energy when the nuclear tests were conducted in 1998, described Santhanam’s claims as “absurd and “illogical” and “lacking any scientific backing”.
Kalam, who was heading DRDO at that time, and Chidambaram were the leading men behind the five nuclear tests conducted in May of that year, one of which was based on nuclear fusion reaction, the science behind the hydrogen-bomb. It is the yield of this fusion-based test that has been contested by Santhanam.
After the 1998 tests, many scientists have been making the argument that India can now do without further tests — simulated tests can be done on computer — and the country’s interests would not be jeopardized even if New Delhi has to sign the CTBT.
Without going into the merits of India signing CTBT, both Kalam and Chidambaram today reiterated that there was no doubt over the success of the thermonuclear test of 1998.
“After the test, there was a detailed review, based on the two experimental results: (i) seismic measurement close to the site and around, and (ii) radioactive measurement of the material after post shot drill in the test site. From these data, it has been established by the project team that design yield of the thermonuclear test has been obtained,” Kalam said in a statement.
Echoing the views of Kalam, Chidambaram said Santhanam had not produced any fresh scientific data that could cast any doubts over the yield of the fusion explosion. “He is a scientist. He knows arguments have to be backed by scientific facts. If he has any new scientific data that backs his claim and we are not aware of it, we will be very happy to consider his argument,” he said.
Chidambaram said extensive measurements done by scientists after the test had proved the success of the test. “Clear signatures of neutron induced radioactivity had been found which can happen only if 14 MeV neutrons have been generated. It clearly established that the thermonuclear explosion had worked,” he said, adding that he himself had published all the scientific data from the test in an international journal ‘Atoms of Peace’ and it was well accepted all over the world that India’s thermonuclear test was a complete success.
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I think your point is correct.The government should look into this and ascertain that such divulging of sensitive facts should be done only after prior approval from the concerned department, whether these people are retired or not.Many a times points of National importance are discussed just like that leading onto unnecessary problems.See for example Pakistan, eventhough it is a open secret that Mumbai attack is purported from their territory none of the politicians or officials accept it officially. Take for ex Mussharraf's back tracking of his statement of US fund misuse.Don't bring shame to our nation - senior citizens,
I am at a loss to understand why Chidambaram's words carry any weight in the rebuttal. He is after all the designer of the weapon, and as such will always be biased towards claiming that his product works according to design. There has been a procedural failure in the weapons establishment where quality assurance has been compromised by giving it a short shrift. Chidambaram's job should be to deliver a weapon that meets requirements as verified by someone else like Santhanam and not attempt to be the thief and the judge by himself.
india must not sign ctbt as only two nuclear tests are not enough to aquire such a complex technology.even it took scores of nuclear tests for america and russia to develop such a complex technology
I recall a story told to me a long time ago. A privileged friend lived in the so called West and always thought his living conditions are better. This belief was supported time and again by the self-serving media. And the Privileged friend from West never visited his under-privileged friend in East to ascertain the truth. This went on for about 30 years and the under-privileged worked hard and made lots of discoveries and built lot of resources for himself. By now the under-privileged clearly had overtaken the privileged in the race. However, our so called privileged friend still continues to fool himself.
Reading all the stories now coming out on Kandhahar, Kargil, Pokran Test etc gives me a creepy feeling whether the Oath of Secrecy and official Secrets Act are given a go by those people who are coming out with stories after they demit their office be it Jaswant Sing or Yashwant Sinha or Santhanam or even ACM Tipnis ( On kargil war about the Army). There are no offensive word or statements in my above comments. Hope it is not rejected on that score!
We cannot say who is speaking truth. Since only one man says those tests failed we cannot ignore that. Because in world only very few speak the truth.
I can understand that if u need name
I remember a man in my native place. He bought an idol, paying the money his wife had managed to keep away for their children's education. Today the idol still draw admiration. His children are so much mesmerised by it, that they consider its worship is their education. The old parents still live on to see their uneducated children invite others to see that statue and worship it.