Narayan Murthy pitches for nuclear power, says criticism ineffective

Batting strongly for nuclear energy, Infosys co-founder Narayan Murthy on Monday said policymakers should pay greater attention to its trade-offs and described the arguments forwarded by critics as ineffective.

"As long as we're diligent and strive for excellence, there is nothing wrong in using nuclear technology for peaceful energy," Murthy said while speaking at St Xavier's College here.

Citing detractors who quote disasters like Fukushima and Chernobyl, Murthy said the number of people affected in these tragedies are far less than those who die in car accidents.

There is nothing which is risk-free and hence, it is important to look at the trade-offs which are on the table, he said, adding a developed country like France draws 85% of its power from nuclear sources.

Murthy said he was proud when he visited the country's first indigenously designed nuclear reactor Dhruva at the BARC here.

Drawing attention to the environmental concerns, he said a nuclear plant generates far less carbon than a thermal power station.

Murthy's comments come at a time of continuing opposition to nuclear plants like Kudankulam, which is operational, and the proposed Jaitapur nuclear project in Konkan region of the Maharashtra.