Nanda Devi peak. Photo -
Digital Desk, New Delhi. In 1965, a device filled with nuclear energy suddenly disappeared on the Nanda Devi peak of the Himalayas. There are still speculations about it that it is buried somewhere in the snow of the Himalayas, which in future can become a threat to the people living in North India including the Ganga River. However, former Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) Anil Kakodkar has rejected these allegations outright.
When Anil Kakodkar was asked whether there was a danger of disaster in Nanda Devi due to the lost nuclear device, he replied, "Absolutely not."
What did the former Chairman of AEC say?
Speaking to The Times of India, Anil Kakodkar said, "As per my understanding, the chances of it disintegrating were almost negligible. The nuclear capsule in which the plutonium was packed was quite strong. So there is nothing to fear."
According to Anil Kakodkar,
To keep an eye on China, the American intelligence agency CIA had planned to launch a mission on Nanda Devi, for which power supply was required. In such a situation, nuclear energy was the best option. At the same time, the nuclear capsule was very strong and rust-free, due to which the question of spreading plutonium does not arise.
What is the whole matter?
Let us tell you that China's first nuclear test on 16 October 1964 created panic in the whole world. CIA chose the peak of Nanda Devi to keep an eye on China. The American and Indian climbers carried an antenna, cables and a 13-kilogram generator. The name of this generator was SNAP-19C, inside which was filled 'plutonium'.
This mission was started in 1965. However, due to a snow storm on Nanda Devi, the climbers left the equipment at the peak and returned back. At the same time, after a year, when the climbers again reached the peak of Nanda Devi, they did not find that equipment. The search operation also completely failed.
This nuclear device is still buried somewhere on the peak of Nanda Devi. Recently, Uttarakhand Tourism Ministry had also expressed concern about this. BJP leader Nishikant Dubey had raised questions on this. Former RAW officer RK Yadav had also expressed concern over this in his book 'Atomic Bomb in Ganga'.
Also read- Nuclear equipment is still buried in the snow of the Himalayas, how did India become a part of the CIA's plan to spy on China?