Echelon (signals intelligence)

ECHELON is a name used in global media and in popular culture to describe a signals intelligence (SIGINT) collection andanalysis network operated on behalf of the five signatory states to the UK–USA Security Agreement (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States, known as AUSCANNZUKUS or Five Eyes).It has also been described as the only software system which controls the download and dissemination of the intercept ofcommercial satellite trunk communications.

ECHELON was reportedly created to monitor the military and diplomatic communications of the Soviet Union and its Eastern Bloc allies during the Cold War in the early 1960s, but since the end of the Cold War it is believed to search also for hunts of terrorist plots, drug dealers' plans, and political and diplomatic intelligence.
#The system has been reported in a number of public sources.
 #Its capabilities and political implications were investigated by a committee of the European Parliament during 2000 and 2001 with a report published in 2001, and by author James Bamford in his books on the National Security Agency of the United States.The report concludes that, on the basis of information presented, ECHELON was capable of interception and content inspection of telephone calls, fax, e-mail and other data traffic globally through the interception of communication bearers including satellite transmission, public switched telephone networks (which once carried most Internet traffic) and microwave links.
Bamford describes the system as the software controlling the collection and distribution of civilian telecommunications traffic conveyed using communication satellites, with the collection being undertaken by ground stations located in the footprint of the downlink leg.

( Interim Report)SAFETY EVALUATION OF INDIAN NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS POST FUKUSHIMA INCIDENT

An unprecedented earthquake of magnitude 9 (Richter scale) followed by a
Tsunami  of height much larger than the value considered in design of Fukushima
Dai-ichi Plant had hit north eastern part of Japan on March 11, 2011.
There are 13 nuclear power plants, all of Boiling Water Reactor type located in the
affected zone.  Six of the units are located at Fukushima Dai-ichi (3 under operation
and 3 under shutdown), 4 at Fukushima Dai-ini and 3 at Onagawa all operating.
The severe earthquake resulted in the disruption of the grid resulting into nonavailability of offsite power.  All the operating plants were automatically shut down
on sensing the earthquake. The decay heat removal system started functioning
normally as per design requirements. The Tsunami which hit the affected area about
half an hour later,  resulted into submergence of the emergency power supply
systems at Fukushima Dai-ichi leading to total loss of on-site power supply, termed
as station blackout condition.  The decay heat removal could not be resumed, which
ultimately resulted in the fuel assemblies getting uncovered. This led to overheating
of the fuel. Metal water reaction between zirconium and water resulted in
generation of hydrogen.  In the process, the reactor containment vault pressure
increased and reached upto almost two times the design pressure.  It was decided to
vent the reactor containment vault to prevent damage to it. During the
depressurization, hydrogen and steam leaked into the secondary containment
resulting in hydrogen explosion.  Spread of radioactivity necessitated evacuation of
public in the nearby areas extending up to 20-30  Kms to prevent exposure of the
public. The event was initially rated as Level 5 on the International Nuclear Event
Scale. The rating was subsequently revised to Level 7. However, the total
radioactivity released during this incident was about 10% of that released during the
Chernobyl accident in 1986. There was also degradation in the cooling provisions
of spent fuel pool in Unit-4 resulting in spent fuel getting uncovered.  The situation
is still evolving.

Download the Summary of Reporthttp://www.npcil.nic.in/pdf/Final_Report_Four_TFs_combined_report.pdf

Neutrino Research Centre

Neutrino Research Centre

The India based Neutrino Research Centre (INO) Project is proposed to set up at Bodi West Hills in Pottipuram village, Thsni District in Tamil Nadu.The State Government provided land for setting up of this underground laboratory and the action is on hand to take possession of land.There are no environmental concerns since INO is a laboratory for basic sciences.

Mobile Radiation Detection System

The Government has proposed to equip 800 police stations covering 80 cities of India with radiation monitors including mobile radiation detection system that can be fitted to Plice Control Room (PCR) vans of the police. This will facilitate police to detect and get alerted in case such a van approaches any radioactive source or a radiologically contaminated area or detects any radio active sourec being transported.