New Delhi: The Delhi Government is gathering
details about the "radiation leak" in a west Delhi industrial
area and will decide about future course of action based on
the findings, a top official said today.
"We are gathering details about the incident. It is a
serious one concerning public health. Based on the findings we
will take appropriate action," the official said.
Five persons were injured including one seriously
when they came in contact with a radio active substance in
Mayapuri area of West Delhi.
Union Science and Technology Minister Prithviraj
Chavan said efforts to cut a lead container which was carrying
a radioactive substance led to radiation.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, when asked
about the incident, tried to pass the buck on the MCD, saying
"it is the responsibility of the civic agency to keep the city
clean."
Panic was triggered in Mayapuri last night after the
news of a radiation leak spread with five persons falling ill
after coming in contact with a "mysterious shining object" in
a scrap shop owned by one Deepak Jain.
Experts have identified the material as Cobalt-60.
Scientists from the Bhaba Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and
Narora Atomic Power Station also scanned Mayapuri Industrial
area this morning to examine whether there was any other
source of a similar emission in the vicinity.
‘Scrap dealers must tell authorities’
The radioactive material found in a
scrap market in west Delhi today prompted the government to
think about a mechanism to ensure that detection of such
substances is brought to notice of authorities.
"We should now plan some mechanism to ensure that scrap
dealers report to authorities about detection of radioactive
material found among scrap," Science and Technology Minister
Prithviraj Chavan said.
"The scrap dealer and his workers tried to break open a
lead container to sell it off as scrap. This led to
radiation," he said. Radioactive material is normally packed
in lead containers as it resists radiation.
PTI
