‘No threat to India from Japan radiation leaks’

The Government on Wednesday maintained that there was no threat to India from radiation leaks from the quake-hit nuclear plant in Fukushima in Japan, as these were travelling east of that country and the distance too was more than 6,500 km across the ocean mass.

“I would like to assure the nation that on the basis of information received till date there is no danger to India from the radiation leaks in Fukushima,” Minister of State for Science & Technology Ashwani Kumar told reporters outside Parliament House.

Blasts have occurred in three nuclear reactors at the Fukushima plant and there were apprehensions that radiation from the area could affect other parts of the world.

“The radiation, we are told, is travelling eastwards and we are on the opposite direction from Japan. The distance between India and Fukushima is more than 6,500 km,” Ashwani Kumar said, assuring that there was no danger.

He maintained that this radiation is travelling over the Pacific Ocean mass. “Normally the rains will come and the radiation vapours will drop into the ocean,” Mr. Kumar said.