Yellow lies
Participants at the session dealing with radiology at the conference, including A Gopalakrishnan, a former chairperson of Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), criticised the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) for not parting with vital information regarding nuclear safety.
During the session on radiation and health, Xavier Dias, an NGO activist from Chaibasa in Bihar, described how radioactive waste was being dumped without any precaution at the tailings (waste dumps) of the Jaduguda uranium mines in South Bihar.
The predominantly tribal population of Jaduguda is suffering from ill-health, noted Dias. B N Pandey, professor at Purnea college who surveyed the area, claims that there is a high prevalence of musculo-skeletal disorders and genetic disorders such as thalassaemia.
Transparencies shown by Dias showed uranium waste - yellow - cake lying unguarded in a field, where children play, people fetch water and cattle graze. Waste is also brought here by rail from the nuclear fuel complex at Hyderabad and Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), claimed Dias. The pictures showed workers without any protection handling radioactive waste.
U C Mishra, head of the safety health and environment section at Bhaba Atomic Reseacrh Centre, pointed out that yellow cake was not radioactive. The chair of the session, intervened to note that according to AERB guidelines, areas that have yellow cake should be cordoned off.