Atomic Energy Commission Must Safeguard Human Life
“Sealing” Nuclear Reactors Necessary to Stop Radiation Leakage in India
New Delhi: Very alarming it may sound but hundreds of workers engaged in the nuclear power plants and atomic reactors in India are helplessly exposed to radiation contamination that may cost them of their lives as the Government of India has not “sealed” them totally to stop the iodine leakage.
Unless the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) fortify these installations vulnerable to radiation leakage due to natural calamities, human errors and mechanical malfunctions with the Non-Conjugated Conductive Polymer Papers (NCCPP), a radiation Armageddon may happen in India.
According to the Nobel Prize nominee in Chemistry for 2017, Prof. Mrinal Thakur, though he submitted a proposal to “seal” all nuclear reactors with the NCCPP globally patented by him to the AEC in Mumbai five years ago, it was not implemented thereby exposing the employees to radiation contamination and posing serious threat to the overall ecological system.
In a statement here, Prof. Thakur, an NRI-scientist and the Director of the Photonic Materials Research Laboratory of Auburn University (USA), said immediately after the Fukushima radiation leakage disaster in 2011 (in Japan), he submitted the proposal to the AEC to safeguard all nuclear installations, but nothing was done.
AEC’s Inaction in “Sealing” Reactors May Have Dangerous Outcome
Nominated 17-times for the Nobel Prize in Chemistry including in 2017 yet not receiving it due to what may be termed as the traditionally racially-prone anti-India bias of Sweden and total lack of concern of the Central Government in ensuring that the Indians get their lawful international recognition, he demanded that in view of growing numbers of radiation accidents happening in India, the AEC must act immediately upon his proposal that may be gathering dust. He also demanded to know the “status” of his proposal as of today.
Prof. Thakur said by ignoring his proposal to “protect” the nuclear reactors, the AEC has proved it beyond doubt that the DAE is not at all serious in safeguarding the staff members working in such facilities. In view of this, there must be public outcry in India demanding protection of all existing reactors and those coming up with the NCCPP “shield” to save human life and the mother earth as a whole.
Prof. Thakur said since the Central Government, all other State Governments, the DAE and AEC are totally disregarding his “offer” to safeguard the nuclear power stations, it is high-time that the NGOs fighting against radiation, political parties cutting across ideological barriers, student unions and scientists come forward in compelling the nuclear regulatory authorities to install the very cost effective NCCPP in all reactors.
Functioning of the Non-Conjugated Conductive Polymer Papers
If the “vital segments” of nuclear installations from where radiation may leak are sealed and covered with the NCCPP, the workers would be safe from radiation contamination.
The thin non-conjugated conductive polymer papers keep on absorbing the radiation/iodine continuously. They would change their colours with the quantum of radiation absorbed. The management of the nuclear power plants would know, in case of any radiation leakage, the levels of radiation emission and its absorption by the plastic paper.
The colour of the plastic (nonconjugated conductive polymer) changes from transparent to dark as more iodine interacts and gets absorbed. The molar concentration of iodine corresponding to the darkest colour (extreme right) is about 0.8 which is about 1020 times the accepted threshold level of radiation per day.
Stages of Absorption of Iodine/Radiation
The color of the plastic (nonconjugated conductive polymer) changes from transparent to dark as more iodine interacts and gets absorbed. The molar concentration of iodine corresponding to the darkest color (extreme right) is about 0.8 which is about 1020 times the accepted threshold level of radiation per day
The growing number of cases of radiation leakages in India and subsequent contamination of persons working there prove the tall claims of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) that all reactors and nuclear power plants are totally safe and fully protected is nothing but misleading the nation.
Prof. Thakur said the pall of death still lurks in Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Fukushima (Japan) and Chernobyl (Russia). Since more numbers of nuclear power stations are coming up in India, more numbers of workers would be exposed to the ultra-toxic radiation effects if those “un-sealed” facilities suffer leakages.
The Central Government Apathetic towards Protecting Workers
Prof. Thakur said the Narendra Modi Government and erstwhile Manmohan Singh-led Ministry took no steps to safeguard the nuclear reactors against leakage of iodine and radioactive elements though he had submitted a “full-proof” strategy to the AEC. Since the iodine travels very fast through air and water, the results of a serious radiation leakage can be extremely grim in the case of India.
“I even met the former Presidents, Pranab Mukherjee and A.P.J. Abdul Kalam in New Delhi to apprise them of the lurking danger of nuclear leakages. However, “sealing” of atomic reactors was not done,” Prof. Thakur said regretting the “insensitive attitude of the Central Government may cause irreparable damage to the country”.
He said the issue can be settled only if the people come on a common platform to force the government to “seal” all reactors against leakages for the greater cause of the nation. The global regulatory bodies including International Commission for Radiation Protection (ICRP) prescribed specific norms for permissible doses of radiation from X-Ray tubes and shielding of walls of X-Ray rooms. The NCCPP functions in line with RCRP.
