DUTA demands V-C’s head

Aditya Narayan Misra,president,DUTA,said: “The V-C cannot get away just with owning moral responsibility. Either he should resign on his own or the HRD ministry should sack him. This case calls for an impartial inquiry but this will not be possible if it is conducted under the supervision of the V-C,whose role is questionable in the entire episode. All buying and selling of equipment is done only with his permission.”

Jafri Abbas,Joint Secretary,DUTA said,“It is highly improbable that the V-C was unaware of the hazards of such a negligent disposal process. He has a science background and it is absurd that he was unaware of the facts.”

The members also strongly condemned the administration for keeping silent for over a month while the government was trying to trace the source of the radioactive Cobalt 60 found in Mayapuri.

They alleged that the V-C has been trying to protect himself and others in the university involved in the trading. “It is a case of criminal negligence and it was shocking to hear that the V-C is not willing to penalise anyone,” said Rajesh Upadhyay,Treasurer,DUTA.

Calling for an immediate suspension of the Chemistry department officials who oversaw the February 26 auction,the members also demanded a moratorium on nuclear or radioactive research until a reassessment of safety standards in undertaken.

The DUTA members,however,maintained that the mistake of the administration should not affect the studies and research done in nuclear sciences in the university.

“While we appeal to the agencies not to impose a ban on research as it will affect students,we also hope that they will impose stricter standards of safety,” said Upadhyay.

The radioactive Cobalt-60 found in Mayapuri,which led to the death of one person,was traced to the Delhi University’s Chemistry Department,where it was lying unused for the last 25 years.

DU to compensate radiation victims
The Delhi University will pay compensation to the six victims of radiation exposure in Mayapuri,West Delhi,a university official said Friday. Deceased victim Rajendra Prasad’s family will get Rs 8 lakh as compensation,while his widow will be given a job in the university campus,Registrar A K Sinha said. “The other five victims who were exposed to the radioactive material and were hospitalised will be given a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each,” he added. Six people were admitted in AIIMS after exposure to radiation earlier this month — one victim was discharged on April 20,while Prasad died of multiple organ failure on April 26. Deepak Jain,a scrap dealer in Mayapuri,was the first to be hospitalised. He is undergoing treatment at the Indraprastha Apollo Hospital.