AERB issues show cause notice to Delhi Univ

The show cause notice is a first step taken by AERB after Delhi Police traced the radiation exposure in Mayapuri scrap market to the university’s chemistry department.

“We have issued a show cause notice to explain about the unauthorised disposal of radioactive cobalt 60 source from one of its labs as scrap thus violating the safe disposal of radioactive waste rules and radiation protection rules.

“We are also suspending permission to use all the radioactive sources which the university holds,” he said.

“Once we get a reply from the university,we will take the next step of punishment under the Atomic Energy Act.”

AERB could find that the university was given authorisation for the gamma cell by the then Directorate of Radiation Protection in January 1970 of the Department of Atomic Energy,he said.

AERB officials along with safety officials of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre have taken this step after a day long meeting on the radiation issue. Panic gripped Mayapuri area in Delhi in earlier this month when 11 people were admitted to hospitals after they were exposed to radiation.

A worker in the scrap shop from where the Cobalt 60 was discovered died due to radiation exposure on Monday.

AERB officials said that in spite of repeated reminders by the department for those who are having any radiation sources in their custody to report periodically,Delhi University has failed and the gamma cell was lying in the department unused since 1985.

According to advocate and scientific advisor to Bombay High Court B B Singh,the offence committed by Delhi University is cognisable and the punishment can extend up to five years imprisonment with or without fine.

Singh said,Section 17 of Atomic Energy Act 1962,has a special provision on safety — safety measures to prevent any accident,injury or damage to property.

If there is any violation of this section,AERB (government) will have the right to enforce penalty under Section 24 of the Act( offences and penalty) – like withdrawal of licences and punishment.

According to a former radiation safety professional of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre,there has been no conviction so far in radiation safety.

The incident is purely a case amounting to culpable homicide to be charged under criminal proceedings,he said.

“Any regulatory body will have a lot of legal complexities. However,there is no legal cell in AERB which has trained personnel to do such work. AERB mostly has committed technical officials and a few administrative

persons,” he said.