DU seeks to use weak radiation sources after Mayapuri incident

Two months after the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) disallowed Delhi University to use any radioactive source in its labs after it failed to submit final reply on the radiation exposure at Mayapuri scrapyard within stipulated period, the university has now appealed for the use of some weak radiation sources for academic purposes.

Two months after the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) disallowed Delhi University to use any radioactive source in its labs after it failed to submit final reply on the radiation exposure at Mayapuri scrapyard within stipulated period, the university has now appealed for the use of some weak radiation sources for academic purposes.

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"The university has submitted the final report very recently and has now approached us asking for some weak radiation sources to carry on the academic work, but we have said we will consider it in due course of time after doing all required regulatory inspection in the university department," Chairman, AERB S S Bajaj told PTI today. "The university does not want the academics to suffer, but the regulatory body has to approve whether they have all the safety and regulatory norms are in place," Bajaj said.

The final report, on radiation exposure at Delhi's Mayapuri scrapyard, which was submitted by the university did not have any new information, Bajaj said. In September this year, AERB rejected university's plea to allow it to continue to use any radioactive source in its labs when DU sought more time to submit the final report.

The use of radioactive sources was suspended by AERB in Delhi University after an exposure to radioactive material Cobalt-60 in the scrap market of Mayapuri in West Delhi, which led to the death of one person and injuries to ten others, in April this year was traced to Gamma Irradiator, which the university had auctioned to a scrap dealer.