Outline:
- The importance of peace
- The devastations of war
- The use of atom bombs, worst aspect
- Ugliness of Science
- Hopes and fears
- Installation of Nuclear Power Plants
- Nuclear Technology’s contribution in the economic, industrial development
- Nuclear energy in changing the weather condition
- The revolution in agriculture
- Introduction of nuclear technology in our country
- The role of nuclear energy in meeting the growing demands of electricity
- The use of nuclear energy in medical science
- Nuclear energy probing into the cosmos and invading the space
- The responsibility of politicians in using nuclear energy
- The present arms race
- The impending threat of the third world war
The victories of Peace are no less than the victories of war.
Now a day’s war and peace, progress and prosperity are all indivisible. Peace is indispensable for progress and prosperity. Without peace no scientist can make fresh inventions and no artist can create anything; for during war all the energies are directed to, and concentrated on war efforts industries are disturbed, and trade and commerce suffer. People live under permanent fear of death.
Inspite of knowing that war is unjust, cruel and destructive, nations are too prone to go to war for they cannot settle their differences amicably and with love. Indeed all is fair in love and war. War called a beast in man and fighting nations take pleasure in inflicting untold pains and miseries on their fellowmen and do not hesitate in committing the most unscrupulous acts of indecency and acts of serious crimes. The last Great War 1939-45 has demonstrated the human folly and shaken human conscience. The nations are forced to find ways and means to establish lasting peace in the world, which is the cherished aim of the U.N.O.[the_ad id=”17141″]
The worst aspect of the inhuman war was the criminal use of atom bombs (Nuclear energy) on the unfortunate dwellers of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 26, 1945. Human beings were, indeed, killed like flies by the two fission bombs. But war is war. It is height of insanity to use atomic or nuclear energy for destructive purpose. Now nuclear energy and power dominate all the walks of human life. The countries possessing high nuclear technology are also the most powerful nations in the world. What makes the world to deride at and dread these wars dragoons is the use of the new energy, not for peaceful and constructive purposes but for aggressive and destructive purposes in wars.
Science is creative. What makes science ugly is the thoughtless misuse of the gifts of science for destructive purposes in wars. Great are the potentialities of nuclear energy. But power for the sake of power is always to be condemned; for it must be used in the service of humanity, Nobody can deny that the substitution of nuclear energy for the other running out old sources of energy has averted the greatest economic crisis in the history of the world. In fact the future prosperity of the human race depends on the wise and careful use of nuclear power. The choice between use and misuse of the energy for peace or war is like a choosing between life and death.
The former is more hopeful and promising. Since 1945 onwards, great strides have been made in the use of nuclear energy to solve and overcome various social and economic problems facing the peoples of the world. We must be thankful to the great Scientists who have opened new vistas for human progress and prosperity through the use of nuclear energy in human service. H. W. Wells expressing his views on atomic Age writes:
“As one attempts a comprehensive view of those opening years of the new age, as one measures it against the latent achievements that latter years have demonstrated, one begins to measure the blindness, the narrowness, the insensate un-imaginative individualism of the pre-atomic time under this tremendous dawn of power and freedom, under a sky ablaze with promise, in the very presence of science standing like some beautiful goddess over all the squat darkness of human life, holding patiently in her strong arms, until man chose to take them, security, piety, the solution of riddles, the key of the bravest adventures in her very presence…”
[the_ad id=”17142″]Science is attended by hope and fears, by glory and shame, by love and hatred. Hope, glory and love are more rational because they lead to peace. We have to choose the nuclear power for peaceful purposes for construction and not for destruction. But the choice is not so simple and easy. The use of nuclear technology entails great undertaking, huge amount of money and manpower and expert technology.
Installation of Nuclear Power Plants requires major political and economic decisions. According to the latest figures the leading nuclear power producing countries in order of their production, are USA, France, Russia, Japan, West Germany, Great Britain, Canada and Sweden. It is the backbone of their industrial and technical development and quick progress in other sectors.
Over the last three decades, nuclear technology has demonstrated its vast potentials for making major contributions to the development of economic, industrial and technical sectors of the various countries, the major share goes to the increase in energy supply in form of electricity. Like other technologies, nuclear technology seeks compensation in furthering human purposes which can be either noble or evil.
Today, we have the best of everything. Nuclear energy is being used for providing greater comforts, ease and better living conditions for the people. Airplanes, ship, locomotives and manufacturing plants no longer use traditional fuels but one giving better and quicken services by using nuclear energy. There is no limit to its uses for human welfare and prosperity.
The commercial potentiality of nuclear energy is immense. In the advanced countries both the governments and the corporations are using it for increasing production of articles of daily use, for improving both their quality and quantity and for further development of sophisticated machines, apparatus and manufacturing plants, for new inventions and refinements go together.
Nuclear energy is being used for changing the weather conditions for good, for controlling the rigours of climate, for changing the course of rivers, for converting sand and ice deserts into fertile lands and forecasting weather conditions. Russia is making unique experiments for growing crops on snow-clad lands. The treasure of ocean is being explored and exploited for. help of devices worked by nuclear energy. The ravages and hostilities of nature are being monitored and forecast with the help of atomic appliances.[the_ad id=”17150″]
Agriculture is no more at the mercy of the vagaries of nature. Better manures and seeds are now being prepared with the help of nuclear technology. Crops can be ripened with the help of atomic energy in weeks instead of months. The per acre yield can be doubled and trebled with the help of nuclear energy; plants can be protected from pests and diseases and preserved for longer period. Nuclear techniques are also being used for the preservation of food and reduction of loss of food grains. The exploitation of nuclear minerals has great value for development of industries and mineral technology. All depends on men, money, material and machinery.
In our own country, the introduction of nuclear technology has had a far reaching impact on improving the standard of scientific research, in developing high quality man power and raising the standard of education and training and in building up scientific infrastructure. All these are indispensable for socio-economic progress and stability.
Nuclear energy and technology is crying need of the developing countries. While stressing the need of nuclear technology for Pakistan, the Chairman of PAEC has coid:
“Nuclear energy technology is essential for the uplift and advancement of developing country as it can make major contributions in economic, industrial and technical sectors. Nuclear energy has the potentials of providing reasonable cost energy and electric power, enhancing agricultural output, making available latest techniques in nuclear machine and raising standards and stimulating growth of science and technology. The potential of atomic energy in Pakistan therefore, cannot be ignored without jeoparding the welfare and even survival of our people”
Pakistan is a peace-loving country and her development in nuclear technology is essential for peaceful purposes – the declared policy of Pakistan still Pakistan’s opponents grudge against her peaceful intentions. Its acquirement is all the more essential as a deterrent for our hostile neighbor that has already tested atomic explosion and is trying for the other.[the_ad id=”17144″]
Besides the major use of nuclear energy for meeting the growing demands of electricity, it has helped in spectacular development in the field of industries based on nuclear radiation and materials. The use of radioisotopes has provided new powerful analytical techniques, which are helping in solving problems of scientific research, agriculture, industry and public health.
“Nuclear technology is interdisciplinary in nature and therefore, can help stimulate growth and development and science technology and thus lead to better productivity in all sectors of economy”.
The most striking and soothing use of nuclear energy all over the world has been in the field of medical science. The deadly disease cancer has been controlled to a large extent with the help of nuclear technology. Nuclear radiation and radioisotopes have been of immense help in the diagnosis and treatment of some of the unconventional diseases. With the help of linear accelerator the most modern machine, deep seated and obstinate tumors can be cured easily. Even heartbeat can be restored and failure postponed by nuclear devices.
Besides these common blessings of the use of nuclear energy scientists have developed new nuclear devices to probe into the cosmos and invade the space. Not only international communications have become easier and cheaper but attempts are also being made to establish interplanetary communication. Space travel may soon become a possibility. Entertainment and recreation have now become every body’s blessings. Thus monotony and drudgery of life have been minimized with the introduction of new nuclear machines. These are, indeed the Victories of Peace.
There is a growing propensity to use nuclear energy for war purposes, for maiming and mutilating human beings, for reign of death. It all depends whether the politicians choose to use it for peace and progress or for woes and war. The radioactive substances and falls after atomic explosions have already posed a great danger for human beings, soil air and food, resulting in pollution, diseases and death. Writing in his essay “The Atomic Age’ H. G. Wells had forecast:
“Beneath the brightness was gathering darkness, deepening dismay. If there was a vast development of production, there was also a huge destruction of values between these highlights accumulated disaster, catastrophe”.
[the_ad id=”17151″]It appears as if human society is to be smashed by its own magnificent gains. Though we are proud of our constant march along the path of progress and civilization, we have not done anything to put a stop on wars. The present ‘Arms Race’ between the two major powers is not a happy augury. Science and technology are being increasingly used not for the good of mankind but for the destruction of living beings. Nuclear bombs, missiles and the latest ‘star war’ programs by the United States pose a great danger to human survival. The nuclear submarines and airplanes have added to the striking power of the two giant nuclear powers USA and Russia. The stockpile of their atomic weapons can let loose reign of terror and death on the peace-loving nations of the world for modern war is totalitarian welfare. That is why Pakistan has always advocated use of nuclear energy for peaceful purpose.
The peacetime prosperity and progress can be brought to naught at any time if the Third War breaks out. The world today stands on the brink of nuclear disaster. The only hope for human survival lies in the change of mental attitudes and revival of moral values. Who knows: God hath ordained to destroy mankind by his own inventions?
Indeed our lives are our own making and Shakespeare has rightly proclaimed
“I see man’s judgments are
A parcel of his fortunes, and things outward
Do draw their inward quality after them
To suffer all alike”
