PM directs highest nuclear safety in India

Under the shadow of Japan’s nuclear crisis, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday reviewed India?s nuclear disaster preparedness and asked the concerned bodies to ensure highest safety measures in all n-plants and fast-track the process.

The PM discussed the nuclear safety measures with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) at his residence at 7 Race Course Road here.

As Chairman of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Prime Minister reviewed the safety measures being undertaken by Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd. (NPCIL) in respect of the nuclear facilities in the country.

He directed DAE and AERB to upgrade the safety measures in the light of the Fukushima experience and look at Beyond Design Basis Accident.

He also discussed about new disaster reaction teams and radiation detection vehicles.

The PM discussed with the NDMA on the management of earthquakes and tsunamis and rescue preparedness for any chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) emergencies.

The Prime Minister took stock of the functioning of National Defence Response Force (NDRF), and considered the proposal of creating six more battalions besides the existing four currently stationed at Noida (outside Delhi), Kolkata, Arakkonam (Tamil Nadu) and Pune.

Vice Chairman NDMA M.Shashidhar Reddy briefing the media later said that for radiological emergencies, NDMA was earlier asked to suggest measures for prevention, detection and response to radiation emergencies and its recommendations were accepted by the Committee of Secretaries in October last year.

Based on these and the various guidelines brought out by NDMA, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoH&FW) was identified as the nodal ministry for this purpose.

MoH&FW was asked to constitute a Task Force which came out with a road map covering assessment of the capacities and action plan for enhanced medical preparedness in the country to deal with nuclear and radiological emergencies.

“They have come out with a clear road map covering assessment of the capacities in the country, human resource development to handle radiation injuries, pre-postioning, quick response medical team in areas likely to be exposed,” Reddy said.

He said exposure of existing health facilities in districts, strengthening of central government and state government hospitals in six metros and vicinities of other vulnerable districts were part of the measures.

He said there are efforts to upgrade and equip one hospital in each district, establish a centre of excellence at Safdarjung hospital, New Delhi by 2013 besides various centres for tertiary level medical management and research in different parts of the country.

He said stock piling of drugs and equipment in next two years, awareness generation among medical functionaries and general public on prevention and protection, psycho-social care, strengthening of ongoing research programmes and other measures were also part of the roadmap.

He said the Prime Minister has directed that these are to be fast tracked.

He appreciated the work done by NDMA and wanted that the guidelines brought out by NDMA are to be translated into action plans by the Ministries/Departments at the Centre and also the State Governments and directed the NDMA to proactively pursue this.

Reddy said that NDMA is focused on the preparedness to deal with nuclear and radiological emergencies.

In India, there was no accident in any of the nuclear facilities in the past. However, there have been incidents of radiation emergency, including the one at Mayapuri, New Delhi last year in which one person died.

It has been reported that only 50 people from different parts of the country (outside DAE facility) suffered in these incidents due to exposure to radiation mostly from orphan sources.

It was highlighted that it is the orphan sources and other radiological accidents which are of greater concern as they have resulted in exposure to different degrees to people at various centers in the work in the past.
The crisis in Japan forced the government to review their nuclear safety.

Japan had a category 7, the highest in the 1 to 7 scale, nuclear crisis in its hands and meltdowns in reactors after a magnitude 9 earthquake and tsunami crippled an atomic power station in Fukushima on Mar 11, raising global concerns on nuclear safety.