Nuclear safety has emerged as a key issue following the tsunami disaster at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Complex in Japan. Scientists are calling on the nuclear establishment to adopt natural measures to protect nuclear installations against tsunamis.
Leading scientist M.S. Swaminathan has asked the DAE and the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) to grow mangroves along nuclear power plants located along the coast.
These include the Kalpakkam the Kudankulam nuclear plants. The campus of the Kalpakkan Atomic Reprocessing Plant was flooded when the tsunami hit Tamil Nadu’s coast in 2004.
In a letter to the MoEF, Dr Swaminathan has pointed out that mangroves act as “bio-shields” and “speed breakers” against the impact of tsunami waves.
Dr Swaminathan points out that 45 different mangrove species are found in India and the Abyssinian mangrove variety is suitable for south India.
Prof. Durgesh Rai of IIT Kanpur pointed out, “Most of our nuclear plants have been set up in weak seismic zones. Their structure is earthquake resistant, but they are not tested against tsunami.”
However, some scientist dispute such an interpretation pointing out that while mangrove forests have been found to provide a protective shield against cyclone, they are not so sure about their effectiveness against tsunamis.
A new study conducted by scientists at the University of Delhi and Duke University of the US analysing the impact of the 199 super-cyclone that ravaged Orissa state killing over 10,000 people found that coastal villages with wide mangrove belts suffered fewer deaths compared to those with no mangroves.