New Delhi, Dec 04: Government today denied reports of increase in the radiation level at Pokhran, the site of the 1998 nuclear tests, leading to deaths of animals in adjoining villages. "There is no question of any adverse health effect on animals, leave alone death due to radiation, as there is no increase in background radiation level in and around Pokhran," minister of state for atomic energy and space Vasundhara Raje said in a written reply to Lok Sabha.. Government had not received any report of death of animals in villages in and around Pokhran due to high radiation level, she said, adding "further environment surveillance has confirmed that there is no increase in the background radiation levels which will result in health hazard to the human and animal population in this area."
To another question, Raje said any site which meets the requisite criteria with respect to properties of rock strata, geohydrology, isolation of area from populated areas could be considered suitable for underground nuclear tests. "The Rajasthan site met these attributes." Raje informed Sona Ram Choudhary that there was no proposal under consideration at present for setting up two additional units of 2x700 MW at Rawatbhata Atomic Power Station in Rajasthan.
"The matter of setting up of two more units will be taken up, consistent with the envisaged nuclear power programme and the availability of financial resources," she said. Bureau Report