Chennai, Dec 04: Concern about radiation safety in department of atomic energy facilities at Kalpakkam has been once again heightened by the death of three persons due to multiple myeloma, a rare bone cancer that is directly linked to nuclear radiation. Only six months ago employees of Kalpakkam Nuclear Facilities went on a strike after an incident in which six workers received within one hour a radiation dose that was higher than what is permissible in a whole year.
That incident was described by the Bhabha Atomic Research Center (BARC) Director B. Bhattacharjee as "unfortunate" and due to a "faulty valve" separating low radiation liquid waste from high radiation waste.
But neither BARC nor the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board is willing to comment on the deaths of two employees K Mohan Das and S Ponnaiah and Sundarammal, a resident in the township, due to the rare form of cancer.
Repeated attempts by reporters to get their comments have failed.
As per the patients' records, Das's case was diagnosed as multiple myeloma at the DAE Hospital in Kalpakkam and referred to Christian Medical College hospital in Vellore for treatment where he died. Two other cases of myeloma were attended to at the Ramachandra Hospital in Chennai.
Bureau Report