The country’s nuclear regulator has given an all—clear signal to Mayapuri in west Delhi where 11 sources of radioactive Cobalt—60 were recovered over the past ten days.
“As no elevated radiation levels were found in all the areas surveyed, there is good confidence that there are no additional high radiation exposed sources remaining,” Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) said today.
However, the AERB said, to further eliminate the possibility of undiscovered sources, a decision has been taken to conduct a thorough survey of individual shops in the scrap market in Mayapuri over the next few days.
Experts from Department of Atomicc Energy, AERB and Bhaba Atomic Research Centre has scanned the market since the first incident of radiation exposure came to light on April seven.
Panic had gripped Mayapuri after 11 sources of radiation were detected in the scrap market, injuring eight persons including three scrap dealers.
The radioactive sources recovered from Mayapuri were in the form of Cobalt—60 pins which experts have been saying are not produced domestically.
A senior AERB official said the radioactive material recovered from Mayapuri is being examined in a “remotely handled facility” at the Narora Atomic Power Station in western Uttar Pradesh.
A detailed radiation survey of scrap shops in neighbouring areas were also taken up on Tuesday.
Cobalt—60 is a radioactive isotope of cobalt, which is a hard, lustrous, grey metal. It is used in cancer therapy machines and other medical equipment.
Cobalt—based colours and pigments have been used since ancient times for jewellery and paints, and miners have long used the name kobold ore for some minerals