National - Major Issues 01 to 10 August 2010(By ArunJoshi,Sri-Krishna Institute,9888933043)

Reprocessing accord signed

India and the U.S. on signed the agreement on modalities for reprocessing spent nuclear fuel, under the civilian nuclear deal between the two countries.
The agreement on arrangements and procedures for reprocessing was signed at a State Department ceremony by Indian ambassador Meera Shankar and U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns.
Pursuant to Article 6(iii) of the bilateral ‘123 Agreement' on civilian nuclear cooperation, the agreement was hailed by the Indian embassy here as “a significant step which highlights the strong relationship and growing cooperation between India and the U.S.” Upon entry into force, it will enable reprocessing by India of United States-obligated nuclear material under International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards.
The State Department in a statement said that as per the agreement reprocessing would be undertaken at a new, safeguarded national facility to be established by India, and that it would be dedicated solely to this.
Government of India had an ambitious programme for development of civil nuclear energy to meet the country's growing energy needs, noting that the target was “to increase our installed capacity more than seven fold to 35,000 MWe by the year 2022, and to 60,000 MWe by 2032.”
In this context, the government had already designated two sites for nuclear power plants to be established in cooperation with the U.S. and the companies of the two countries were now engaged in discussions.
India is planning two nuclear reactor park sites for U.S. technology in the States of Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat.”

Jaipur's Jantar Mantar inscribed in the World Heritage List

The Jantar Mantar in Jaipur is now a World Heritage Monument. The 34th session of the World Heritage Committee,in Brasilia, has inscribed Jantar Mantar in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's World Heritage List. Thirty-three countries across the world had submitted 32 sites for consideration this year.
The Jantar Mantar in Jaipur was chosen since ‘it is the most significant and the best preserved of India's historic observatories.'
The UNESCO website observes that these structures ‘designed for the observation of astronomical positions with the naked eye, embody several architectural and instrumental innovations.'
Located outside the city palace, this large stone observatory with its many instruments was built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II in the 18th century. It is one of the one of the four existing astronomical observatories in India. The others are located in Varanasi, Delhi and Ujjain. The fifth one built in Mathura is not extant. The Samrat Yantra in Jaipur is one of the largest sundials in the world, with its gnomon raising about 73 feet above its base.
India had also submitted the Matheran Light Railway line for consideration as an extension of the Mountain Railways of India, which includes the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, Nilgiri railway and Kalka-Shimla Railway that are already inscribed as heritage sites.
The other international sites added to the list this year include, 11 Australian convict sites, the palace ensemble at ad-Dir'iyah in Saudi Arabia, Tabriz historic bazaar complex in Iran and the natural site of the Central Highlands in Sri Lanka.
Every year the World Heritage committee reviews sites proposed by various countries and inscribes the selected new ones to the heritage list. It also reviews the state of conservation of the sites already inscribed. So far, about 890 properties are included in the list for their “outstanding universal value.” The committee also oversees the disbursement of about $4 million annually from the World Heritage Fund.