09-21-2009, 11:38 PM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Santhanam hits out at NSA; wants independent inquiry in N-test</b>
pioneer.com
PTI | New Delhi
Former DRDO scientist K Santhanam on Monday demanded setting up of an independent expert panel to look into the data of Pokhran-II and hit out at National Security Adviser MK Narayanan for questioning his knowledge about the 1998 nuclear tests.
<b>Santhanam, who had raised doubts over the success of the thermonuclear test, said Narayanan had given "misleading" statement over 1998 explosions as he was not NSA at that time.</b>
Taking objection to Narayanan's claim that he did not have access to the data generated by the nuclear tests, Santhanam said "the NSA is barking up the wrong tree".
<b>He rejected Naryanan's contention that the review of the thermonuclear test by the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) should set at rest all doubts on the efficacy of the nuclear explosion</b>.
Santhanam, who was the DRDO co-ordinator for the 1998 nuclear tests, said there was a "strong and clear" need to form a group of stalwarts and give them access to all the relevant data.
"<b>Only then will the credibility (about the assessment of the tests) be increased... AEC and BARC cannot be judge and jury, more so when the issue relates to their claims of the thermonuclear yield,"</b> he said at an interaction at the Indian Women Press Corps here.
The former DRDO scientist claimed that at least two more tests would be required to perfect the thermonuclear device, known as the hydrogen bomb in popular parlance.
On repeated questions on why he had raised the issue 11 years after the Pokhran-II, Santhanam said he had already told the Government about the failure of the thermonuclear device in a 50-page classified report submitted in 1998.
He rejected Government claims that in 1998 scientists had collected enough data to conduct computer modelling and simulation of the thermonuclear tests.
<b>"We have to do more honest homework on thermonuclear design,"</b> he said.
<b>Santhanam and senior physicist Ashok Parthasarathi circulated photographs of the site of the thermonuclear test in the Pokhran range in Rajasthan in support of his claim that the hydrogen bomb explosion had left no crater</b>.
About 400 meters away, the fission test of 20 kilo tons had left a huge crater, he said indicating that the hydrogen bomb had failed to achieve the design yield.
Santhanam refused to divulge the exact depth at which the thermonuclear device was placed in the shaft saying the information was in the classified domain. He added that had the test been a success, it would have left a huge crater at the mouth of the shaft. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
pioneer.com
PTI | New Delhi
Former DRDO scientist K Santhanam on Monday demanded setting up of an independent expert panel to look into the data of Pokhran-II and hit out at National Security Adviser MK Narayanan for questioning his knowledge about the 1998 nuclear tests.
<b>Santhanam, who had raised doubts over the success of the thermonuclear test, said Narayanan had given "misleading" statement over 1998 explosions as he was not NSA at that time.</b>
Taking objection to Narayanan's claim that he did not have access to the data generated by the nuclear tests, Santhanam said "the NSA is barking up the wrong tree".
<b>He rejected Naryanan's contention that the review of the thermonuclear test by the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) should set at rest all doubts on the efficacy of the nuclear explosion</b>.
Santhanam, who was the DRDO co-ordinator for the 1998 nuclear tests, said there was a "strong and clear" need to form a group of stalwarts and give them access to all the relevant data.
"<b>Only then will the credibility (about the assessment of the tests) be increased... AEC and BARC cannot be judge and jury, more so when the issue relates to their claims of the thermonuclear yield,"</b> he said at an interaction at the Indian Women Press Corps here.
The former DRDO scientist claimed that at least two more tests would be required to perfect the thermonuclear device, known as the hydrogen bomb in popular parlance.
On repeated questions on why he had raised the issue 11 years after the Pokhran-II, Santhanam said he had already told the Government about the failure of the thermonuclear device in a 50-page classified report submitted in 1998.
He rejected Government claims that in 1998 scientists had collected enough data to conduct computer modelling and simulation of the thermonuclear tests.
<b>"We have to do more honest homework on thermonuclear design,"</b> he said.
<b>Santhanam and senior physicist Ashok Parthasarathi circulated photographs of the site of the thermonuclear test in the Pokhran range in Rajasthan in support of his claim that the hydrogen bomb explosion had left no crater</b>.
About 400 meters away, the fission test of 20 kilo tons had left a huge crater, he said indicating that the hydrogen bomb had failed to achieve the design yield.
Santhanam refused to divulge the exact depth at which the thermonuclear device was placed in the shaft saying the information was in the classified domain. He added that had the test been a success, it would have left a huge crater at the mouth of the shaft. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->