DU defied safety norms for radioactive waste disposal

Delhi University has earned the dubious distinction of being the country’s only violator of radioactive waste disposal norms, according to the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board.

Delhi University has earned the dubious distinction of being the country’s only violator of radioactive waste disposal norms, according to the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB).

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The AERB, which is responsible for regulating and monitoring the safety of nuclear facilities and materials, said that more than 800 organisations had approached it in last five years for decommissioning nuclear material.

“There are no reported cases of disposal of radioactive material violating the ‘Atomic Energy (safe disposal of radioactive waste) Rules, 1987’ except the Gamma Cell which was auctioned by Delhi University,” the AERB said in an RTI reply to a query seeking details of such violators.

The infamous episode of auctioning the radioactive material surfaced in April this year when eight scrap dealers working in Delhi’s sprawling Mayapuri scrap market suffered radiation exposure.

One died, and seven were in critical condition because of bone marrow damage resulting from radioactive radiation emitted by cobalt pencils of the Gamma Cell.