Santhanam`s claim should be taken note of: Ex-AEC chief

Bangalore, Sept 3 (PTI) Former Chairman of Atomic Energy
Commission M R Srinivasan has said that ex-Defence Research
and Development Organisation (DRDO) scientist K Santhanam's
claim of the 1998 Pokhran nuclear test being a "fizzle" should
be "taken note of" and called for "evaluation and examination"
by country's security and nuclear apparatus.

"The point made by Dr Santhanam needs to be discussed by
those who are in charge of the responsibility of ensuring the
country's security," Srinivasan said.

"Dr Santhanam has made this statement and he stands by
it. Those who are currently responsible for the country's
security and its reliability must take note of it and evaluate
what Dr Santhanam's perceived objections are. It should be
done," he said in a telephonic interview with PTI here.

"This (point raised by Santhanam) has to be evaluated by
people who have access to all the information to find out
whether his reservations are genuine or not," Srinivasan said.

About his assessment of Santhanam's claim, Srinivasan
said he has so far gone on the basis of assessment made by
R Chidambaram (the then Principal Scientific Adviser to
Government of India who led the team of scientists for
Pokhran-II) and former President A P J Abdul Kalam that the
test was successful and gave the necessary information that
India was looking for.

Asked if he thought the 1998 test produced "desired
yield", he said, "Based on the assertion made by Chidambaram
and Kalam, Yes". (More) PTI