An RTI activist and newspaper uncovered a massive thorium scam involving the disappearance of over 2 million tons of monazite sand, equivalent to 195,300 tons of thorium, from India after 2004. Private companies were exporting radioactive minerals vital to India's nuclear program without restrictions after they were delisted from regulated substances by the Prime Minister's department. There are allegations that licensing authorities are not properly monitoring mining and exports, and that private exporters are being awarded for exporting prohibited substances.

1. Monday, September 3rd, 2012 | Posted by News Desk
What Exactly is this Thorium Scam?
A mammoth Thorium scam, which has swindled the national exchequer of Rs 48 Lakh
Crore is supposed to have been unearthed by RTI activists and the Statesman
Newspaper. Sources state that the missing thorium, estimated at $100 a tonne
will make all other scams the UPA has embroiled itself in, seem very dwarf-like.
It has been stated that 2.1 million tones of monazite, which is equivalent to
195,300 tonnes of thorium at 9.3% recovery, has disappeared from Indian shores
after 2004, the year Manmohan Singh became India’s Prime Minister.
On 30 November, 2011, an RTI activist, Kodikunnel Suresh sought the Prime
Minister’s response regarding the export of monazite, whether companies of
mining beach sand have violated the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board rules. To
this, V Narayanaswamy, Minister of State, PMO, said that beach sands with heavy
minerals were exported. But monazite was excluded from this.
Narayanaswamy stated that licence under the Atomic Energy Act was necessary for
monazite and thorium export. However, being prescribed substances, no licence
was given for its export. The Prime Minister, who heads the Department of Atomic
Energy, delisted these heavy minerals from the prescribed substances list vide
SO 61 (E) dated 20 January, 2006. This was done to facilitate their export by
private companies, with licences being granted with the proviso that ’having
undertaken to comply with the conditions prescribed in the Atomic Energy
(Working of mines, minerals hand handling of prescribed substances) Rules, 1984,
licence is issued with the approval of the Licensing Authority.’
Reports state that radioactive minerals, vital for nuclear energy programme, are
taken out of the country without any restriction, inspite of the Indian Rare
Earths being the only organization being authorized to extract thorium from
monazite sands. To add to this, private exporters of prohibited minerals are
also presented with Special Awards and Certificates of Merit by Chemicals and
Allied Products Export Promotion Council of the Government of India.
As stated before, Indian Rare Earths Limited is the only authorized body that
can extract Thorium because indiscriminate and non-monitored mining can cause
severe erosion in coastal areas. The Chief Controller of Mines, which comes
under Union Ministry of Mines is the Licencing Authority. However, following the
retirement of CP Ambrose, Chief Controller of Mines, on 30 June 2008, the post
is being kept open deliberately. It is also stated by sources that Ranjan Sahai,
Controller of Mines of the Central Zone, is now allowed to officiate in place of
the Chief Controller. He is alleged to be close to mineral industrialists of the
private placer.
INDIAN economy is in a crisis. Our country like many other ASIAN countries, is
undergoing a severe economic crunch. Many INDIAN industries are closing down.
The INDIAN economy is in a crisis and if we do not take proper steps to control
those, we will be in a critical situation.
More than 30,000 crore rupees of foreign exchange are being siphoned out of our
country on products such as cosmetics, snacks, tea, beverages, etc... which are
grown, produced and consumed here.
A cold drink that costs only 70 / 80 paisa to produce, is sold for Rs.9 and a
major chunk of profits from these are sent abroad. This is a serious drain on
INDIAN economy.
We have nothing against Multinational companies, but to protect our own
interests we request everybody to use INDIAN products only at least for the next
two years. With the rise in petrol prices, if we do not do this, the Rupee will
devalue further and we will end up paying much more for the same products in the
near future.

2. What you can do about it?
1. Buy only products manufactured by WHOLLY INDIAN COMPANIES.
2. ENROLL as many people as possible for this cause.....
Each individual should become a leader for this awareness. This is the only way
to save our country from severe economic crisis. You don't need to give-up your
lifestyle. You just need to choose an alternate product.
All categories of products are available from WHOLLY INDIAN COMPANIES.
LIST OF PRODUCTS
COLD DRINKS:-
DRINK LEMON JUICE, FRESH FRUIT JUICES, CHILLED LASSI (SWEET OR SOUR), BUTTER
MILK, COCONUT WATER, JAL JEERA, ENERJEE, and MASALA MILK...
INSTEAD OF COCA COLA, PEPSI, LIMCA, MIRINDA, SPRITE
BATHING SOAP:-
USE CINTHOL & OTHER GODREJ BRANDS, SANTOOR, WIPRO SHIKAKAI, MYSORE SANDAL,
MARGO, NEEM, EVITA, MEDIMIX, GANGA , NIRMA BATH & CHANDRIKA
INSTEAD OF LUX, LIFEBUOY, REXONA, LIRIL, DOVE, PEARS, LESANCY, CAMAY, PALMOLIVE
TOOTH PASTE:-
USE NEEM, BABOOL, PROMISE, VICO VAJRADANTI, PRUDENT, DABUR PRODUCTS, MESWAK
INSTEAD OF COLGATE, CLOSE UP, PEPSODENT, CIBACA, FORHANS, MENTADENT.
TOOTH BRUSH: -
USE PRUDENT, AJANTA , PROMISE
INSTEAD OF COLGATE, CLOSE UP, PEPSODENT, FORHANS, ORAL-B
SHAVING CREAM:-
USE GODREJ, EMAMI
INSTEAD OF PALMOLIVE, OLD SPICE, GILLETE
BLADE:-
USE SUPERMAX, TOPAZ, LAZER, ASHOKA
INSTEAD OF SEVEN-O -CLOCK, 365, GILLETTE
TALCUM POWDER:-
USE SANTOOR, GOKUL, CINTHOL, WIPRO BABY POWDER, BOROPLUS
INSTEAD OF PONDS, OLD SPICE, JOHNSON'S BABY POWDER, SHOWER TO SHOWER
MILK POWDER:-
USE INDIANA, AMUL, AMULYA
INSTEAD OF ANIKSPRAY, MILKANA, EVERYDAY MILK, MILKMAID.
SHAMPOO:-
USE LAKME, NIRMA, VELVETTE
INSTEAD OF HALO, ALL CLEAR, NYLE, SUNSILK, HEAD AND SHOULDERS, PANTENE
MOBILE CONNECTIONS:-
USE BSNL, AIRTEL

3. INSTEAD OF HUTCH
Food Items:-
Eat Tandoori chicken, Vada Pav, Idli, Dosa, Puri, Uppuma
INSTEAD OF KFC, MACDONALD'S, PIZZA HUT, A&W
Every INDIAN product you buy makes a big difference. It saves INDIA. Let us take
a firm decision today.
BUY INDIAN TO BE INDIAN - We are not against of foreign products.
WE ARE NOT ANTI-MULTINATIONAL. WE ARE TRYING TO SAVE OUR NATION. EVERY DAY IS A
STRUGGLE FOR A REAL FREEDOM. WE ACHIEVED OUR INDEPENDENCE AFTER LOSING MANY
LIVES.
THEY DIED PAINFULLY TO ENSURE THAT WE LIVE PEACEFULLY. THE CURRENT TREND IS VERY
THREATENING.
MULTINATIONALS CALL IT GLOBALIZATION OF INDIAN ECONOMY. FOR INDIANS LIKE YOU AND
ME, IT IS RE-COLONIZATION OF INDIA. THE COLONIST'S LEFT INDIA THEN. BUT THIS
TIME, THEY WILL MAKE SURE THEY DON'T MAKE ANY MISTAKES.
WHO WOULD LIKE TO LET A "GOOSE THAT LAYS GOLDEN EGGS" SLIP AWAY?
PLEASE REMEMBER: POLITICAL FREEDOM IS USELESS WITHOUT ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE
RUSSIA, S.KOREA, MEXICO - THE LIST IS VERY LONG!! LET US LEARN FROM THEIR
EXPERIENCE AND FROM OUR HISTORY. LET US DO THE DUTY OF EVERY TRUE INDIAN.
FINALLY, IT'S OBVIOUS THAT YOU CAN'T GIVE UP ALL OF THE ITEMS MENTIONED ABOVE.
SO GIVE UP AT LEAST ONE ITEM FOR THE SAKE OF OUR COUNTRY!
We would be sending useless forwards to our friends daily. Instead, please
forward this note to all your friends to create awareness...!!
"LITTLE DROPS MAKE A GREAT OCEAN."