Pokhran: Difference between revisions

Pokhran Test Range (PTR)
Pokhran Test Range (PTR)
Near Jaisalmer in India
Coordinates	27°05′42″N 71°45′11″E / 27.095°N 71.753°E
Type	Nuclear test site
Site information
Operator	Indian Army
Status	Active
Site history
In use	1970–present
Test information
Subcritical tests	N/A
Nuclear tests	6

Pokhran
Pokhran
Town
	Pokhran Fort in Rajasthan, India
	Pokhran Pokhran
	Coordinates: 26°55′N 71°55′E / 26.92°N 71.92°E
State	India
State	Rajasthan
District	Jaisalmer
Government
Elevation	233 m (764 ft)
Population (2011)
• Total	28,457
Languages
• Official	Hindi, Rajasthani
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)

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Pokhran (official spelling Pokaran; Hindi: पोकरण) is a town and a municipality^[1] located 112 km east of Jaisalmer city in the Jaisalmer district of the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is situated in the Thar Desert region. Surrounded by rocks, sand and five salt ranges, the word "Pokaran" (पोकरण) means "place surrounded by five salt-ranges" in Rajasthani. The site for India's first and second underground nuclear weapon test is near Pokhran.

Geography[edit]

Pokhran is located 112 km east of Jaisalmer city, 172 km northwest of Jodhpur and 225 km south of Bikaner by road. It lies on Jaisalmer to Jodhpur railway line. It is situated at 27°05′42″N 71°45′11″E / 27.095°N 71.753°E / 27.095; 71.753 and has an average elevation of 233 metres (764 feet).

It has arid climate as it lies in the Thar Desert and receives a little rain in the monsoon months July to September. Pokhran has extreme climate. It has extremely hot and dry summers from April to June though monsoon months are also very hot. The temperature in summer can reach 46°C during the day. The night temperature in summer is more than 30°C, Pokhran has very cold winters with temperature dropping to 1°C.^[2]

There is nothing much to see in Pokhran. Tourists may find winter pleasant during the day but they are not allowed near the nuclear test site.

History[edit]

Fort Pokhran[edit]

Fort Pokhran, the 14th century citadel also known as "Balagarh", stands amidst the Thar Desert. This monument is the premier fort of the chief of the Champawats, one of the clan of Rathores of the state of Marwar-Jodhpur. Fort Pokhran is open for visitors and is being currently run as heritage hotel by the royal family of Pokhran.

Sati Mata Memorial[edit]

On the outskirts of the town, the Satiyo Deval Sati Mata Memorial, a royal cenotaph, is freely accessible.

Former rulers[edit]

Seat of Chief of the Champawats, a sub-clan of Rathores of the state of Marwar-Jodhpur.
Bhawani Singh of Pokhran (b. 1911) was the last jagirdar of Pokhran before Indian independence. He was Sessions Judge and was elected to the 1st Lok Sabha, the Lower house of Indian parliament from Barmer-Jalore constituency, after getting elected as an Independent candidate in the 1952 Indian general election.^[3]^[4]

Demographics[edit]

According to 2011 Indian census,^[5] Pokhran had a population of 28,457 within Pokaran Municipal Board territory. Males constitute 55% of the population and females 45%. Pokhran has an average literacy rate of 56%, lower than the national average of 74.0%: male literacy is 68%, and female literacy is 41%. In Pokhran, 19% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Pokhran Test Range[edit]

The Pokhran Test Range (PTR) is a key component of India's nuclear programme which is located outside the Pokaran Municipal Board jurisdiction and is controlled by the Indian Army. The army base is located 45 km north-west of Pokhran town and 4 km north of Khetolai village.^[6]

The army base was built by the Indian Army Corps of Engineers and is under the control of Indian Army. It was built sometime before May 1974, when, following authorization given to the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre by then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, it hosted the detonation of India's first nuclear device.

Nuclear testings[edit]

The Ministry of External Affairs designated the test "Pokhran-I", but it is also known as "Smiling Buddha". It was India's first successful nuclear bomb test on 18 May 1974.^[7]^[8] The bomb was detonated on the army base Pokhran Test Range (PTR), in Rajasthan, by the Indian Army under the supervision of several key Indian generals.

On 11 and 13 May 1998, twenty-four years after Pokhran-I, the Indian Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) conducted five further nuclear tests, dubbed "Pokhran-II", at the Pokhran range. Four AEC devices and, under the codename Shakti, a thermonuclear device were tested.

Since 2014, the elevated and frequent cancer deaths at the Khetolai has been attributed to the nuclear testing at the Pokhran Test Range.

References[edit]

^ "Sectoral Portal".
^ https://www.nativeplanet.com/pokhran/weather/
^ Soszynski, Henry. "Pokhran (thikana) Genealogy". Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
^ "Members Bioprofile: First Lok Sabha". Lok Sabha website. Archived from the original on 24 June 2014. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
^ "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 16 June 2004. Retrieved 1 November 2008.
^ Forty years after Pokhran nuclear tests, villagers complain of frequent cancer deaths, Scroll.in, 18 May 2014
^ FIles. "1974 Nuclear files". Nuclear Age Peace Foundation. Nuclear files archives. Retrieved 14 January 2013.
^ "Smiling Buddha, 1974". India's Nuclear Weapons Program. Nuclear Weapon Archive.

[1] "Sectoral Portal".

[2] ttps://www.nativeplanet.com/pokhran/weather/

[3] Soszynski, Henry. "Pokhran (thikana) Genealogy". Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 24 June 2014.

[lok-4] "Members Bioprofile: First Lok Sabha". Lok Sabha website. Archived from the original on 24 June 2014. Retrieved 24 June 2014.

[5] "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 16 June 2004. Retrieved 1 November 2008.

[khetolai1-6] Forty years after Pokhran nuclear tests, villagers complain of frequent cancer deaths, Scroll.in, 18 May 2014

[Nuclear_files_archives-7] FIles. "1974 Nuclear files". Nuclear Age Peace Foundation. Nuclear files archives. Retrieved 14 January 2013.

[Smiling_Buddha-8] "Smiling Buddha, 1974". India's Nuclear Weapons Program. Nuclear Weapon Archive.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 {{Infobox settlement <!--See [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Indian cities]]-->
 | name                     = Pokhran
-| native_name_lang         = Rajasthani
+| settlement_type          = Town
-| other_name               =
-| settlement_type          = [[Village]]
 | image_skyline            = Pokhran Fort.JPG
 | image_alt                =
-| image_caption            = Pokhran Fort in [[Rajasthan]], [[India]]
+| image_caption            = Pokhran Fort in [[Rajasthan]], India
 | nickname                 =
 | image_map                =
@@ Line 48: / Line 46: @@
 | utc_offset1              = +5:30
 | postal_code_type         = <!--[[Postal Index Number|PIN]]-->
-| postal_code              =
+| postal_code              = 345021
 | registration_plate       =
 | website                  =
 | footnotes                =
 | demographics1_info1      = [[Hindi language|Hindi]], [[Rajasthani language|Rajasthani]]
-| leader_title             = [[ Member of Legislative Assembly ]]
+| leader_title             = [[Member of Legislative Assembly]]
+| leader_name1             = [[Saleh Mohhamad]]
 }}
-'''Pokhran''' is a [[village]] and a [[municipality]] located, outside of [[Jaisalmer|Jaisalmer city]] in the [[Jaisalmer district]] of the [[States and territories of India|Indian state]] of [[Rajasthan]]. It is a remote location in the [[Thar Desert]] region and served as the test site for India's first underground [[nuclear weapon]], ballistic missiles.
+'''Pokhran''' (official spelling '''Pokaran'''; {{Lang-hi|पोकरण}}) is a town and a [[municipality]]<ref>{{cite web | url=https://urban.rajasthan.gov.in/content/raj/udh/nagar-palika-pokaran/en/home.html.html | title=Sectoral Portal }}</ref> located 112&nbsp;km east of [[Jaisalmer]] city in the [[Jaisalmer district]] of the [[States and territories of India|Indian state]] of [[Rajasthan]]. It is situated in the [[Thar Desert]] region. Surrounded by rocks, sand and five [[salt]] ranges, the word "Pokaran" (पोकरण) means "place surrounded by five salt-ranges" in [[Rajasthani languages|Rajasthani]]. The site for India's first and second underground [[nuclear weapon]] test is near Pokhran.
 == Geography ==
-Surrounded by rocks, sand and five [[salt]] ranges, its [[Hindi language|Hindi]] name "Pokhran" (पोखरण) means "five salt-ranges". It is located en route between [[Jaisalmer]] and [[Jodhpur]] or [[Bikaner]] at {{coord|27.095|N|71.753|E|}} and has an average [[elevation]] of 233&nbsp;metres (764&nbsp;feet).
+Pokhran is located 112&nbsp;km east of [[Jaisalmer]] city, 172&nbsp;km northwest of [[Jodhpur]] and 225&nbsp;km south of [[Bikaner]] by road. It lies on Jaisalmer to Jodhpur railway line. It is situated at {{coord|27.095|N|71.753|E|}} and has an average [[elevation]] of 233&nbsp;metres (764&nbsp;feet).
+It has arid climate as it lies in the [[Thar Desert]] and receives a little rain in the monsoon months July to September. Pokhran has extreme climate. It has extremely hot and dry summers from April to June though monsoon months are also very hot. The temperature in summer can reach 46°C during the day. The night temperature in summer is more than 30°C, Pokhran has very cold winters with temperature dropping to 1°C.<ref>https://www.nativeplanet.com/pokhran/weather/</ref>
+There is nothing much to see in Pokhran. Tourists may find winter pleasant during the day but they are not allowed near the nuclear test site.
 == History ==
@@ Line 67: / Line 70: @@
 === Sati Mata Memorial ===
 On the outskirts of the town, the Satiyo Deval [[Sati Mata Memorial]], a royal cenotaph, is freely accessible.
-The famous, touristic city and fort of [[Jaisalmer]] is a couple of hours away by road.
 === Former rulers ===
-* Seat of Chief of the Champawats, a sub-clan of [[Rathore]]s of the state of [[Marwar]]-[[Jodhpur]].
+* Seat of Chief of the Champawats, a sub-clan of [[Rathore (clan)|Rathore]]s of the state of [[Marwar]]-[[Jodhpur]].
 * [[Bhawani Singh (politician)|Bhawani Singh of Pokhran]] (b. 1911) was the last [[jagirdar]] of Pokhran before Indian independence. He was Sessions Judge and was elected to the [[1st Lok Sabha]], the Lower house of [[Indian parliament]] from [[Barmer (Lok Sabha constituency)|Barmer]]-[[Jalore (Lok Sabha constituency)|Jalore]] constituency, after getting elected as an Independent candidate in the [[1952 Indian general election]].<ref>{{cite web | title = Pokhran (thikana) Genealogy | url = http://members.iinet.net.au/~royalty/ips/p/pokhran.html | access-date = 2014-06-24 | first = Henry | last = Soszynski | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151222170614/http://members.iinet.net.au/~royalty/ips/p/pokhran.html | archive-date = 22 December 2015 | url-status = dead }}</ref><ref name=lok>{{cite web | title = Members Bioprofile: First Lok Sabha | url = http://164.100.47.132/lssnew/biodata_1_12/623.htm | publisher = [[Lok Sabha]] website | access-date = 2014-06-24 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140624083100/http://164.100.47.132/lssnew/biodata_1_12/623.htm | archive-date = 2014-06-24 }}</ref>
 == Demographics ==
-According to 2011 Indian [[census]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040616075334/http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999|archive-date=2004-06-16|title= Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)|access-date=2008-11-01|publisher= Census Commission of India}}</ref> Pokhran had a population of 28457. Males constitute 55% of the population and females 45%. Pokhran has an average literacy rate of 56%, lower than the national average of 74.0%: male literacy is 68%, and female literacy is 41%. In Pokhran, 19% of the population is under 6 years of age.
+According to 2011 Indian [[census]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040616075334/http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999|archive-date=2004-06-16|title= Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)|access-date=2008-11-01|publisher= Census Commission of India}}</ref> Pokhran had a population of 28,457 within Pokaran Municipal Board territory. Males constitute 55% of the population and females 45%. Pokhran has an average literacy rate of 56%, lower than the national average of 74.0%: male literacy is 68%, and female literacy is 41%. In Pokhran, 19% of the population is under 6 years of age.
-== Pokhran Nuclear Test Range ==
+== Pokhran Test Range ==
 <!--Linked from [[Pokhran Test Range]]-->
 {{Infobox military test site
@@ Line 90: / Line 91: @@
 | coordinates   = {{coord|27.095|N|71.753|E|display=inline}}
 | operator      = {{Army|India}}
-| status        = active
+| status        = Active
 | dates         = 1970–{{small|present}}
 | nuclear_tests = 6
-| subcritical_tests = not known
+| subcritical_tests = N/A
 }}
-The Pokhran Test Range, a key component of [[India and weapons of mass destruction|India's nuclear programme]], is located in the municipality. The ''Indian Nuclear Test Site'' is located 45&nbsp;km north-west of Pokhran town and 4&nbsp;km north of ''Khetolai'' village.<ref name=khetolai1>[https://scroll.in/article/664440/forty-years-after-pokhran-nuclear-tests-villagers-complain-of-frequent-cancer-deaths Forty years after Pokhran nuclear tests, villagers complain of frequent cancer deaths], Scroll.in, 18 May 2014</ref> The test range was built by the [[Indian Army Corps of Engineers]] and is under the control of [[Indian Army]]. It was built sometime before May 1974, when, following authorization given to the [[Bhabha Atomic Research Centre]] by then-[[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]] [[Indira Gandhi]], it hosted the detonation of India's first nuclear device.
+The '''Pokhran Test Range''' ('''PTR''') is a key component of [[India and weapons of mass destruction|India's nuclear programme]] which is located outside the Pokaran Municipal Board jurisdiction and is controlled by the [[Indian Army]]. The army base is located 45&nbsp;km north-west of Pokhran town and 4&nbsp;km north of ''Khetolai'' village.<ref name=khetolai1>[https://scroll.in/article/664440/forty-years-after-pokhran-nuclear-tests-villagers-complain-of-frequent-cancer-deaths Forty years after Pokhran nuclear tests, villagers complain of frequent cancer deaths], Scroll.in, 18 May 2014</ref>
+The army base was built by the [[Indian Army Corps of Engineers]] and is under the control of [[Indian Army]]. It was built sometime before May 1974, when, following authorization given to the [[Bhabha Atomic Research Centre]] by then-[[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]] [[Indira Gandhi]], it hosted the detonation of India's first nuclear device.
-===Pokhran-I===
-{{main|Smiling Buddha}}
+===Nuclear testings===
-The [[Ministry of External Affairs (India)|Ministry of External Affairs]] designated the test "Pokhran-I", but it is also known as "Smiling Buddha". It was India's first successful [[nuclear weapon|nuclear bomb]] [[Nuclear weapons testing|test]] on 18 May 1974.<ref name="Nuclear files archives">{{cite web|url=http://www.nuclearfiles.org/menu/timeline/timeline_page.php?year=1974|title=1974 Nuclear files|last=FIles|work=Nuclear Age Peace Foundation|publisher=Nuclear files archives|access-date=14 January 2013}}</ref><ref name= "Smiling Buddha">{{cite web| url= http://nuclearweaponarchive.org/India/IndiaSmiling.html| work = India's Nuclear Weapons Program | title = Smiling Buddha, 1974|publisher=Nuclear Weapon Archive}}</ref> The bomb was detonated on the [[:Category:Indian Army bases|army base]] [[Pokhran#Pokhran Test Range|Pokhran Test Range]] (PTR), in [[Rajasthan]], by the [[Indian Army]] under the supervision of several key Indian generals.
+{{main|Smiling Buddha|Pokhran-II}}
+The [[Ministry of External Affairs (India)|Ministry of External Affairs]] designated the test "Pokhran-I", but it is also known as "Smiling Buddha". It was India's first successful [[nuclear weapon|nuclear bomb]] [[Nuclear weapons testing|test]] on 18 May 1974.<ref name="Nuclear files archives">{{cite web|url=http://www.nuclearfiles.org/menu/timeline/timeline_page.php?year=1974|title=1974 Nuclear files|last=FIles|work=Nuclear Age Peace Foundation|publisher=Nuclear files archives|access-date=14 January 2013}}</ref><ref name= "Smiling Buddha">{{cite web| url= http://nuclearweaponarchive.org/India/IndiaSmiling.html| work = India's Nuclear Weapons Program | title = Smiling Buddha, 1974|publisher=Nuclear Weapon Archive}}</ref> The bomb was detonated on the [[:Category:Indian Army bases|army base]] [[#Pokhran Test Range|Pokhran Test Range]] (PTR), in [[Rajasthan]], by the Indian Army under the supervision of several key Indian generals.
-===Pokhran-II===
-{{main|Pokhran-II}}
 On 11 and 13 May 1998, twenty-four years after Pokhran-I, the Indian [[Defence Research and Development Organisation]] (DRDO) and [[Atomic Energy Commission of India|Atomic Energy Commission]] (AEC) conducted five further nuclear tests, dubbed "[[Pokhran-II]]", at the Pokhran range. Four AEC devices and, under the codename ''[[Operation Shakti|Shakti]]'', a [[thermonuclear device]] were tested.
+Since 2014, the elevated and frequent cancer deaths at the Khetolai has been attributed to the nuclear testing at the Pokhran Test Range.
 == See also ==
+*[[Pokaran railway station]]
-*[[Bhaniyana]]
-*[[Jajwala Mata Temple]]
+*[[Pokaran Assembly constituency]]
-*''[[Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran]]'' – a 2018 [[Bollywood]] movie.
 == References ==
@@ Line 120: / Line 122: @@
 [[Category:Nuclear test sites]]
 [[Category:Indian nuclear test sites]]
+[[Category:Environmental disasters in India]]
+[[Category:Controversies in India]]

v t e Cities and towns in Jaisalmer district
Jaisalmer	Jaisalmer Pokhran Bhaniyana Fatehgarh Sam
Villages and settlements	Abhainagar Away, Rajasthan Chandhan Chelak, Rajasthan Dangri, Jaisalmer Kuldhara Lodhruva Meharon Ki Dhani Mokla Momdau Nachna, Rajasthan Ramdevra Ramgarh, Jaisalmer
Cities and towns in other districts	Ajmer Alwar Banswara Baran Barmer Bharatpur Bhilwara Bikaner Bundi Chittorgarh Churu Dausa Dholpur Dungarpur Hanumangarh Jaipur Jalore Jhalawar Jhunjhunu Jodhpur Karauli Kota Nagaur Pali Pratapgarh Rajsamand Sawai Madhopur Sikar Sirohi Sri Ganganagar Tonk Udaipur