Since the 1980s, the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu has faced multiple forms of resistance. Women and men from different walks of life—fishers, farmers, environmentalists, activists, writers, scholars, teachers, journalists, doctors, and lawyers among many others—have come together to combat the deadly radioactive repercussions and repression that come with the development of a high-security nuclear installation. Drawing upon their experiences, this historical and ethnographic study accounts for the anti-nuclear campaign’s part in ‘right-to-lives’ movements while engaging with the (re)production of knowledge and ignorance in the understanding of radiation, and efforts to create an evidence base in response to the otherwise unavailable or insufficient data on the environment and public health in India. Tracing the grassroots struggle for ‘energy justice’ off- and on-line, the author looks into the larger questions of development, democracy, and nationalism. These have marked not just parts of India identified for large-scale constructions, but also other regions of the world where state functionaries have much to gain from corporate collaborations at the cost of local residents who lose their livelihoods, and are forcibly displaced, persecuted, or even killed in order to execute governmental designs in the name of the nation.

Prior to the starting of any nuclear power station, it is very important to record the status of the environment with regard to its quality and demographic features of the immediate neighbourhood. In the global scenario, India occupies the prime position as the initiator of this procedure as far back as the sixties. This venture is termed as ‘pre-operational environmental baseline study’. Such surveillance is also mandatory to fulfill regulatory requirements before commissioning of the plant. Pre-operational monitoring helps in assessing the impact of the facility during its operational phase. Hence, a systematic study is essential to establish the baseline data regarding natural and fallout (man-made) radioactivity in various environmental samples before the plant goes into operation. Such surveillance also includes measuring and monitoring conventional parameters in respect of air and water quality in the surrounds of a nuclear facility.

In a critical discussion of India's nuclear doctrine and its components of no first use and credible minimum deterrence, R. Rajaraman argues that, contrary to fears expressed in the media and the literature, the effectiveness of the deterrent is not reduced if China has thermonuclear bombs while India does not. Or if, as sometimes reported in the media, Pakistan has a few more warheads than India does. What matters is India having enough surviving nuclear weapons to launch a Second Strike on the adversary that inflicted 'Unacceptable Damage'. In order to lift the veil of irrational fear and unnecessary opacity surrounding this area, the actual damage caused by a nuclear explosion and its radiation fallout is described in a transparent manner. On nuclear energy, Rajaraman offers a detailed assessment of the Indian government's ambitious reactor programme, including a discussion of the India– US Nuclear Deal, the Nuclear Liability Law and their impact. On the global stage, he also covers measures to secure nuclear materials to prevent terrorism. The efforts include the FMCT negotiations, the Obama Summit and the NTI Index. Critical Mass thus offers a unique perspective on nuclear developments in India, covering both civil and military affairs. Written in a lucid manner such that it is accessible to a layperson, the book is illustrated with photographs and with anecdotes of the author's own experiences in the field. It succeeds in its admirable aim of decoding India's nuclear policy in a manner that enables the reader to form their own judgement on strategic matters.

2023-24 RRB General Knowledge Solved Papers