Nuclear Safety and Radioactive Waste Management in India
Environment & Ecology
- PYQs8
- Articles1
Background
Addresses critical environmental and public health concerns associated with nuclear energy, highlights regulatory mechanisms, and showcases India's commitment to international safety standards.
Nuclear safety and the management of radioactive waste are paramount concerns in the development and operation of nuclear power plants, requiring stringent regulatory frameworks, advanced technological solutions, and continuous oversight to protect public health and the environment.
Facts & tables
- Safety Principles
- Redundancy, diversity, fail-safe design, and defence-in-depth approach
- Regulatory Body
- Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) ensures safety and security
- Waste Management Rules
- Atomic Energy (Safe Disposal of Radioactive Wastes) Rules, 1987, and AERB Safety Code on 'Management of Radioactive Waste (AERB/SC/RW)'
- Waste Treatment & Storage
- Segregation, chemical decontamination, absorption, ion exchange, volume reduction, conditioning into stable forms; engineered storage systems with multiple barriers
| Principle | Description |
|---|---|
| Redundancy | Multiple identical systems for critical functions |
| Diversity | Different types of systems for the same function |
| Fail-safe Design | System defaults to a safe state upon failure |
| Defence-in-Depth | Multiple barriers between radioactivity and environment |
| Type | Reference |
|---|---|
| Conceptual area | Environmental Law & Policy |
| Conceptual area | Waste Management & Water Pollution |
| Conceptual area | Constitutional & Statutory Bodies |
| Body | Role |
|---|---|
| Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) | Regulates |
| Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) - Environmental Survey Laboratories (ESLs) | Monitors |
| Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd. (NPCIL) | Operates |
Prelims angle
Prelims angle: Statement-based questions
Prelims angle: Factual recall
- Safety: Redundancy, diversity, fail-safe, defence-in-depth.
- AERB: Independent regulatory body for safety & security.
- Waste Rules: Atomic Energy (Safe Disposal of Radioactive Wastes) Rules, 1987.
- Waste Treatment: Segregation, chemical, absorption, volume reduction.
- Monitoring: BARC's ESLs, AERB inspections.
| Year | Framing tags |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Statement-based questions, Institutional roles and functions |
| 2025 | Factual recall, Institutional roles and functions |
| 2022 | Factual recall, Institutional roles and functions |
| 2019 | Statement-based questions, Factual recall |
| 2019 | Multi-statement analysis, Conceptual understanding |
| 2016 | Multi-statement analysis, Institutional roles and functions |
| 2015 | Factual recall, Institutional roles and functions |
| 2014 | Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall |
Timeline
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Environmental Law & Policy
Conceptual area
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Waste Management & Water Pollution
Conceptual area
-
Constitutional & Statutory Bodies
Conceptual area
-
Prelims 2014
Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall
-
Prelims 2015
Factual recall, Institutional roles and functions
-
Prelims 2016
Multi-statement analysis, Institutional roles and functions
-
Prelims 2019
Statement-based questions, Factual recall
-
Prelims 2019
Multi-statement analysis, Conceptual understanding
-
Prelims 2022
Factual recall, Institutional roles and functions
-
Prelims 2025
Statement-based questions, Institutional roles and functions
-
Prelims 2025
Factual recall, Institutional roles and functions
-
PARLIAMENT QUESTION: NUCLEAR ENERGY MISSION FOR VIKSIT BHARAT
India prioritizes nuclear safety through principles like defence-in-depth and robust regulatory oversight by AERB, while radioactive waste is managed via stringent rules, advanced treatment, and continuous environmental monitoring.
See also
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Past papers
2014–2025 · 8 questions
In the news
PARLIAMENT QUESTION: NUCLEAR ENERGY MISSION FOR VIKSIT BHARAT
India prioritizes nuclear safety through principles like defence-in-depth and robust regulatory oversight by AERB, while radioactive waste is managed via stringent rules, advanced treatment, and continuous environmental monitoring.
Try these PYQs
As per the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 in India, which one of the following statements is correct?
* Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 mandate the segregation of waste into three categories - biodegradables, dry recyclables (plastic, paper, metal, etc.), and domestic hazardous waste (diapers, napkins, etc.). * The SWM Rules, 2016 apply not just to urban areas but also to urban local bodies, notified areas, census towns, all industrial townships, special economic zones, State and Central government organisations, places of pilgrimage, religious and historical importance. * There is no restriction on moving waste from one district to another. Waste generators can transport waste as needed for disposal, treatment, or processing. * Waste processing facilities will have to be set up by all local bodies having a population of 1 million or more within two years. * For census towns with a population below 1 million or all local bodies having a population of 0.5 million or more, common, or stand-alone sanitary landfills will have to be set up in three years. * Also, common, or regional sanitary landfills to be set up by all local bodies and census towns with a population under 0.5 million will have to be completed in three years.
Consider the following statements :
1. Under the Ramsar Convention, it is mandatory on the part of the Government of India to protect and conserve all the wetlands in the territory of India.
2. The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010 were framed by the Government of India based on the recommendations of Ramsar Convention.
3. The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010 also encompass the drainage area or catchment regions of the wetlands as determined by the authority.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Statement 1 is incorrect. While the Ramsar Convention encourages member countries to take action for wetland conservation and wise use, there's no legal mandate to protect all wetlands. Statement 2 is incorrect. The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010 were formulated by the Indian government to regulate activities in wetlands, and their development was not certainly influenced by the Ramsar Convention's principles. The rules also consider other national legislations and priorities. Statement 3 is correct. The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010 do encompass the drainage area or catchment regions of the wetlands. This holistic approach recognizes the importance of the surrounding area for the overall health and functioning of the wetland ecosystem.
Consider the following statements:
1. Animal Welfare Board of India is established under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
2. National Tiger Conservation Authority is a statutory body.
3. National Ganga River Basin Authority is chaired by the Prime Minister.
Which of the statements given above is/ are correct?
Statement 1 is incorrect: The Animal Welfare Board of India is established under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, not the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. Statement 2 is correct: The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is a statutory body constituted under the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 2006. Thus, NTCA is a statutory body. It is responsible for the implementation of Project Tiger. Statement 3 is correct: The National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) was constituted under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and was chaired by the Prime Minister. It aimed to plan and coordinate measures for the conservation and management of the Ganga River. (It was later replaced by the National Ganga Council in 2016.)
Which of the following are the key features of ‘National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA)’?
1. The river basin is the unit of planning and management.
2. It spearheads the river conservation efforts at the national level.
3. One of the Chief Ministers of the State through which the Ganga flows becomes the Chairman of NGRBA on a rotation basis.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Statement 1 is correct. National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) is the financing, planning, implementing, monitoring, and coordinating authority for the Ganges River, functioning under the Jal Shakti Ministry. Statement 2 is correct. The mission of the organisation is to safeguard the drainage basin which feeds water into the Ganges by protecting it from pollution or overuse. In July 2014, the NGRBA has been transferred from the Ministry of Environment and Forests to the Ministry of Jal Shakti. Statement 3 is incorrect. The Prime Minister is the chair of the Authority.
Other members include the cabinet ministers of ministries that include the Ganges among their direct concerns and the chief ministers of states through which the Ganges River flows.
Which organization has enacted the Nature Restoration Law (NRL) to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss?
✅ A. The European Union:
The Nature Restoration Law (NRL) is an EU legislative initiative adopted in 2024. It sets binding targets to restore ecosystems, fight climate change, and protect biodiversity across EU member states. ❌ B. The World Bank:
An international financial institution providing loans and grants; it does not enact laws like the NRL. ❌ C. OECD:
An organization promoting economic cooperation and policy coordination; it does not enact binding environmental laws such as the NRL. ❌ D. FAO:
A UN agency focused on hunger and agriculture; it does not enact regional laws like the NRL.
Show 3 more PYQs
The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee is constituted under the
The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) is the apex body constituted in the Ministry of Environment and Forests under Rules for Manufacture, Use, Import, Export and Storage of Hazardous Microorganisms/Genetically Engineered Organisms or Cells 1989, under the Environment Protection Act, 1986. - The GEAC is responsible for the appraisal of proposals involving the release of genetically engineered organisms and products into the environment including experimental field trials.
Which one of the following has been constituted under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986?
Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) has been constituted under Section 3 (3) of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 to regulate and control development and management of groundwater resources in the country. Central Water Commission (CWC) - Established in 1945, the CWC is a technical organization under the Ministry of Jal Shakti. It focuses on water resource planning, development, and management in India, but its legal basis comes from other central government acts. Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) - While it works in close collaboration with the CGWA, the CGWB is a subordinate organization under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, established in 1970. It functions as the technical arm of the CGWA, providing hydrogeological data and technical expertise. National Water Development Agency (NWDA) - This autonomous agency, established in 1982 under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, operates under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. It focuses on resolving interstate water resource disputes, conducting feasibility studies for water resource development projects, and planning water transfer and linking projects.
Consider the following statements:
I. The Reserve Bank of India mandates all the listed companies in India to submit a Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report (BRSR).
II. In India, a company submitting a BRSR makes disclosures in the report that are largely non-financial in nature.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
The Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report (BRSR) is a disclosure framework introduced by SEBI to promote transparency in a company’s non-financial performance, particularly in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) areas. ❌ Statement I: Incorrect
* SEBI, not the RBI, mandates the submission of BRSR.
* It applies to the top 1,000 listed companies by market capitalization. ✅ Statement II: Correct
* BRSR disclosures are mostly non-financial and focus on areas like environment, social responsibility, and governance.