Vulnerable N-sites in South Asia

Khushab Nuclear Reactor's expansion appears to be part of an endeavour to boost the fabrication of weapons-grade plutonium, allowing Pakistan to build a larger number of miniaturised plutonium-based nuclear weapons that can bump up its existing highly enriched uranium nuclear weapons system.
This has been stated in a report titled "Pakistan's Fourth Reactor at Khushab" that has been authored by David Albright and Serena Kelleher-Vergantini and that has been published by the Washington-based think tank, Institute of Science and International Studies (ISIS).
By design or by default, the report was published quite recently at a time that coincided with US President Obama's India visit during last week of the last month.
While the report has not touched the US - India exclusive nuclear cooperation, it has come up with the allegation that Khushab Nuclear Reactor's expansion appears to be part of a Pakistani endeavor to boost the fabrication of weapons-grade plutonium. The report further alleges that Pakistan was "believed to have depended on illicit procurements for the reactor at Khushab".
Sources in Pakistan's security establishment view this report as a fallacious attempt to malign Pakistan aiming at aggravating concerns, though unjustifiably, on Pakistan's nuclear programme especially associating it with terrorism. According to these circles, "Such reports provide opportunities to India to further pressurise the US government for leverages. In addition to that, the obvious negative effects expected out of the report appear to be building pressure on Pakistan from the US side for showing progress on Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty (FMCT) besides limiting Pakistan's chances of acquiring nuclear material from friendly countries."
The security circles have further opined that although the US in Obama's tenure has apparently been upfront in slashing nuclear weapons in the world through the convening of conferences and nuclear summits nevertheless the US president's realisation in the context of nuclear arms race in South Asia has faded out in a bid to empower India with nuclear deals despite the fact that American Research Institute has recently declared India amongst the three top worst countries in the area of nuclear security as compared with Pakistan whose safety and security measures and foolproof precautionary steps have been declared by the same Institute and some other entities as commendable."
The United States, instead of seeking India's clarification over the news of security lapses that have been received from its nuclear installations during the last two years, has almost backtracked on its declared stance of non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament while dealing with India, added the sources. "It is not enough that Pakistan should also be offered civil nuclear deal but it would be a real pragmatic step if the US revisits its nuclear deal with India while keeping the disastrous nuclear safety records."
The fact is that India is quite infamous for its frequent nuclear incidents both at military and non-military sites. There is a severe problem of security of nuclear installations in India that poses severe dangers not only to India's population but also to the neighbouring countries particularly Pakistan. Indian nuclear installations are not secured, for instance Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS) in Maharashtra located near the main populace is causing spreading of diseases in the villages due to dangerous and unchecked radiation. Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (RAPS) is located close to Pakistani border and people living in the proximity are suffering from cancer and tumour diseases. Areas like Tharparker in Sindh and Multan in South Punjab of Pakistan being in the neighborhood of Rajasthan can be dangerously affected due to the diffusion of radiation. Then, Madras Atomic Power Station (MAPS) in Tamil Nadu, South India has been operating in the past without environmental clearance. Besides that, there is Kyga Generating Station (KGS) in Karnataka, where the villagers living within the 100 km radius of nuclear facility are suffering from a host of diseases related to the radiation including cancer. Kudan Kalam Atomic Power Station in Tamil Nadu has also caused cancer to the population in the nearby villages. Likewise, Narora Atomic Power Station (NAPS) is located in Uttar Pardesh, where an incident was in the offing on the scale equal to the incidents that took place in Chernobyl, Russia and in Fukushima, Japan.
These facts have been brought to the fore even by the Indian media in the recent past. According to 'The Hindu' report, the contract workers of Tarapur nuclear plant went on strike due to the imminent risks of radiation and subsequent sufferings. 'Indian DNA' website, in an article "when life is cheaper than nuclear power", stated the story of one Ponam, a resident of Chewali Village where many of newly born babies are suffering with high-risk diseases due to nuclear radiation. 'Asia Times', a prominent newspaper and the website have highlighted that "nuclear power fears rise in India". The author of this article KS Hari Krishan is the former ambassador of India. 'Economic Times', a prominent news website of Indian origin published that "High Court (HC) issues notice to Centre (government) on Kalpakkam plant issue" due to the radiation and leakages problems causing danger to the health of local population including children. 'International Business Times' has been cautioning about the erratic behaviour of "Nuclear plant guard who killed three colleagues in shooting spree in Kalpakkam in South India" under the influence of radiation. The American institution NTI Nuclear Materials in its recently released report about security index of 100 countries has ranked Pakistan's nuclear programme superior in terms of safety as compared to India. Appreciating Pakistan's efforts to ensure safety and security measures, it mentioned that Pakistan has improved, through a series of steps, to update nuclear security regulations.
As per sources, other latest reports tell about suicide incidents among the Indian nuclear scientists and technicians that have increased manifold in recent times. 'RTI', an Indian paper counted 3,887 deaths during 1995 and 2014 in which 70% (2,600) cases were cancer-related while 255 committed suicide.
It is interesting that American clout compelled Nuclear Supply Group (NSG) to facilitate India on the issue of waivers that subsequently encouraged Japan, France, Australia and Britain to sign nuclear deals with India. However, foreign companies that have agreed to invest in India belong to countries other than American companies due to the Indian liability law that is highly strict and was enacted after the Bhopal disaster.
The security establishment circles opined further that it is not being deemed a wise decision on the part of Pakistan to demand the same kind of civil nuclear technology from America or other global powers with intrusive strings. "Instead, the homework will be done meticulously to make an informed decision if it is decided to attain a civil nuclear technology deal with America but what is more important above all other things is that the volatility of the Indian regions of Gujarat, West Bengal and Kerala that are in earthquake-prone areas should be highlighted as these spots have been selected as potential nuclear sites. The objective of highlighting these dangerous realities is to restrain the global powers from any sort of nuclear devastation likely to be caused in future as a result of earthquake or natural calamity in the potential nuclear sites' areas of India, concluded the sources.