The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Fears over visit of USS Nimitz allayed

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Sunday, Jul 01, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Fears over visit of USS Nimitz allayed

Special Correspondent

‘A stringent radiation monitoring protocol is in place’

CHENNAI: With the arrival of USS Nimitz, a nuclear powered aircraft carrier, to Chennai scheduled for July 2, the authorities concerned on Saturday sought to allay public fears with regard to its supervision or monitoring by the government

The Naval Officer in-charge of Tamil Nadu, Commodore P.E. Vanhaltren, said “a stringent radiation monitoring protocol is in place which will periodically monitor and analyse air and water samples.” He said the notion that the vessel will dock at Chennai without any supervision or monitoring by the Indian Government as reported in a section of the media was misplaced. Explaining that the visit of USS Nimitz was not the first of a nuclear-powered warship into the country, he said a standard operating procedure had evolved to clear a harbour for berthing of nuclear vessels since 1988 when INS Chakra was inducted into the Navy. Since then, 10 foreign nuclear warships had berthed at Indian ports.

Commodore Vanhaltren detailed the procedure which was being adopted. It included movement of the vessel only during daytime and in good visibility with escort tug; no other ship would be berthed within the 200 metres radius of the warship. An Indian Navy ship, containing radiation monitoring laboratory and scientists from Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and BARC, would be anchored one mile from the vessel. They would take water and air samples frequently. The Indian Navy and the U.S. naval personnel would undertake round the clock patrol around the ship to provide security.

A.R. Reddy, Chairman, environmental safety committee of the DRDO, said monitoring would be done prior to the ship’s arrival on July 2. Monitoring would be done from three static locations, two vans with equipment along the coast and by a boat which would collect air and water samples. The ship would be anchored at a safe distance.

Answering a question on the opposition by a section of port workers to the ship’s visit, Captain M.K. Sinha, Deputy Conservator, Chennai Port Trust, said the port Chairman had already spoken to the unions.

The Joint Commissioner of Police, North Zone, M. Ravi, said the police had done necessary arrangements.

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