The sceptics have been right, after all. By pulling away the shroud of secrecy and opaqueness that has been built into the system ever since the Atomic Energy Regulatory Body (AERB) was formed in 1983, the Comptroller and Auditor General has for the first time exposed several major inadequacies and shortcomings of the nuclear regulator. Despite the passage of three decades, the AERB is yet to prepare a radiation safety policy. The operator — Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) — has not put in place a decommissioning plan for any of the power plants, including the 10 plants that have come up after the regulator issued the safety manual. The reason — the manual is only advisory in nature. The regulator is toothless in demanding the district/State authorities take “corrective measures” in off-site emergency preparedness in the zone extending up to a 16 km radius from nuclear plants. The report also highlights the well-known, inherent weakness of AERB’s legal status — the regulator lacks the “independent power” of a statutory body by virtue of “not being created by any specific legislation.” This despite the recommendation of the Meckoni Committee way back in 1981 that the nuclear regulator be created as a statutory body. In effect, even today the AERB’s head continues to “report” to an official of an “organisation whose very activities [he or she] regulates.”
The AERB is also in the dark in matters concerning the number of radiation sources used in medical and non-medical institutions in the country. A mammoth check across the nation was carried out in the mid-1990s and an inventory of more than 30,000 units prepared. But, sadly, the inventory has not been updated. Even today, there is no effective accounting system in place despite the frantic efforts that began following the Mayapuri incident in New Delhi in 2010, where a gamma source was disposed in a callous manner resulting in the death of one person. Regulating these institutions and ensuring safe disposal will never become possible till such time the inventory is updated. “About 91 per cent of medical X-ray facilities operating in the country have no registration,” the CAG report states. If policing the small diagnostic centres and nursing homes mushrooming all over the country is difficult, can the problem not be solved by targeting manufacturers and vendors? A two-pronged effort is required to clear the mess. The AERB has to work in mission mode on several fronts to set its house in order. On its part, the government must expedite the passage of the Nuclear Safety Regulatory Authority Bill, which has already been vetted by a parliamentary committee.
Recommendations to make the AERB into a statutory body so that it can be invested with authority to take independent professional decisions regarding the nuclear power plant's safety, environmental implications and waste management in order to ensure that they meet the high standards during their construction, operations and decommissions has so far been neglected by the government.
What a criminal breach of trust of the common man's basic rights and services.
The regulator plays a very important role as it is the coordinating force between the gov,local people & the developer. Apart from regulating the site for environmental matters during the various phases it is responsible for regulating the disposal and transport of r.a. waste, discharge of cooling water,operation of standby generators, assessing natural risk, disaster management etc.
They also have to regulate the security, radiation standards, operations, maintenance & financial provision in case of any liabilities.
That the AERB has not gone into details is typical of our Indian
mentality to all things "foreign" in haste without going into all aspects of the thing in question."Where angels fear to tread" we
blithely stomp in.And when disaster strikes we look for"scapegoats".Not only AERB even our scandals of 2G and Coalgate
etc. are shining examples of our haste for globalisation of our
economy.The giant strides the developed countries have taken in their
countries' economy are results of sustained research on
suitability.The results of our much dreaded "brain drain" of past few decades is in tumultuous display now.At least now the elite senior
intelligentsia of the country should join to halt this trend of
frenetic globalisation.
Safety is one of the important purpose which one must be fullfiled in
any condition.So before using any technologies safety methods had to
generated and manipulated,but what we are watching in case of AERB is
totally opposite.Its a matter of great shame for them that they are
still sleeping .No matter what is the reason behind there poor way of
working its really important that they should do the undone as early
as possible or they should shut down the plants.
The central government should not delay arming the AERB with statutory
powers without delay to enable it function effectively as a watchdog
against indiscriminate use of X-rays and mushroom growth of hundreds
of such units across the country without adequate safety measures
against leakage causing irreparable damage to the health of people due
to exposure to avoidable radiation.We would also do well to remember
that new types of non -conventional sources are not yet available to
meet demands of a vast developing country like India.While our efforts
should continue putting an end to nuclear energy would not take us
anywhere as man has no control over natural background radiation and
other calamities caused by acts of god.
CAG comments are like this. Many wifes used to say that had I married the other person, I would have been in much better position. I have interacted with CAG guys anmd they are not much knowledgable nor proffessional or much educated enouh to understand all aspects of a matter.
So their comments can be tken as a guideline or there may actual loss of 10 %. That is the real truth.
The govt. is sold out to the Nuclier Supplier's lobby of the western countries. Could there be any other reason for keeping such a crucial thing pending so important for public safety?
Well done.Ramaswamiji.
The main reason for this disastrous situation is man-made. There are ample sources to get energy abundantly. But the foreign wielding power who are controlling the government have no love for India and Indian people.
They just want to loot the resources of India by unleashing foreign investment.
Tamilnadu has become a role model to implement Nuclear power plant curbing the people's protests with iron hand.
Others states are closely watching this.
There are poor people in village whose only needs are some food, shelter and clothing. But the people in power are thrusting disastrous plans in their lands.
Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh have no heart unless the sufferings of these poor villagers touches their heart nothing will change.
The important thing that is missing in Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh is love for India and its people. Next in line waits Rahul Gandhi to unleash his hatred on India and its people.
A new avatar has to descend to save India and its people.
Beggars have no choice.Masters supply technology, equipments, operating and maintenance manuals.The generally ignorant Indian lords living in conceit and complacency care most of the times about their personal growth.
Gandhi had talked about wastes.Forget about him.some consider him an old timer pulling the history back.How about observations of Karl Marx about guono waste and even human waste.Without falling prey to ready made stipulations in the books of ideologies,let us consider waste from the interest of the entire nation.
The wastes of birds,cattle,human beings ,farm will not cease.This unending source can be utilized to generate methane gas ,electricity,manure for the farm by simple native technology.Import of petrol,diesel,naphtha,coal,atomic power plants etc can be bundled out.
nation should ponder over whatis this growth,GDP factors all about. Everyday the news papers are stinking with corruption stories.
Time to practice democracy; and be away from corrupt.
And this is the AERB which has cleared the Kudankulam plant?
Trivialising the nuclear powered reality
In the midst of FUKUSHAME'S calamity
The Indian government loads Kudankulam with brutality
Designed without any regard for safety of all the living community
Why they disregard thousands of cancer mortality
Thousands of infant mortality
That by fudging data they declare publicly
Irradiating the community is harmless genetically
Future generations are glorified into electricity
Only to find the balance sheet powering not the community
But only the nuclear industry
Over the entire lifetime of the irradiating monstrosity
And horror of terrors with such stupidity
Of not having learnt from water scarcity
They will reach criticality without adequate cooling facility
What will they do when by nuclear like daredevilry
The dams of the world cause Kudankulam to melt ravenously heatedly
Into the only ground water bodies of the entire community?
Death dealers nukes abandon them scientifically!
I never thought of these angle for auditing and it's requirement. Thanks
to bring in our notice. Thanks.
It is a damaging report and utters only the truth. The mission mode is required for all
the limbs of the Governments in the Centre and in the States.
When you post bureaucrats and officials from PSUs and government organisations with clauses of returning to government post, obviously the people holding positions in such regulatory bodies will act as per master's wishes for their career and money!In addition to this ,the obnoxious scenario of OFFICIAL SECRETS ACT create another smokescreen to cover all dirty things!
Manmohan Singh who had threatened to resign on Nuclear deal, did nothing to give teeth to AERB eventhough DAE falls directly under him. Which his now famous "maunavrath" albeit his inaction, people around the proposed nuclear plants are vulnerable to disasters as and when it happens. Again he will be shielded by his Chidambaram and Kapil Sibal that nothing has happened and so ZERO damage. UPA and it head have become laughing stock in the people's mind.
We should practise austerity in the use of water as well as energy from
crude petroleum and coal, and caution in the use of nuclear energy.
Nuclear energy is unsafe. The technology for its generation is
inadequately developed. Our workers tend to be callous. Japan, Germany,
France and several other countries have decided to keep away from this
source of energy. Let us learn proper lessons from accidents at
Fukushima, Chernobyl, Bhopal, etc. A single big accident, e.g. by dint
of external or internal violence (remember 26/11 in Mumbai), can
damage life and property in a vast area for generations to come.
Alternative sources of energy are available.
Please Email the Editor