Nuclear Forensics Laboratory Proposed in India

[banti321]

Indian government scientists have drafted a proposal to construct a national nuclear forensic laboratory as part of international efforts to reduce the threat of nuclear terrorism, DNA India reported on Sunday (see GSN, Nov. 8, 2010).

The Directorate of Forensic Science Laboratories proposal still would require approval from the Indian government, which has yet to take up consideration of the issue.
The plan calls for the nuclear forensic center to be built at Karnataka in southwest India no later than 2018 or 2019, and it seeks approximately $4.7 million to support the laboratory's establishment and the acquisition of internationally developed sequencing technology.

The DFSL plan highlights a July 2010 U.S. National Research Council report's conclusion that the U.S. ability to pinpoint the origin of atomic matter was in decline (see GSN, Aug. 10, 2010).

The ability to analyze nuclear materials, atomic detonations and debris from a radiological event could aid efforts to identify and potentially retaliate against any party that provides nuclear substances to terrorists. Nonproliferation specialists hope a robust nuclear forensic capability would deter potential suppliers from selling atomic material to extremists, according to earlier reports.

Karnataka's considerable science and technology growth possibilities make it suitable for hosting nuclear forensic projects, according to India's Home Ministry (M.K. Madhusoodan, DNA India, March 6).

[ROUDRAM]

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