KARWAR : Dr SK Jain, Chief of the Nuclear Power Corporation of India has clarified that there has been no nuclear radiation leakage from the Kaiga nuclear power plant.
In a statement released to the press on Sunday, he said there has been no leakage of heavy water or radiation either inside or outside the reactor.
As is the usual practice, on November 24, all employees were subject to a routine radiation test, the release said adding all the units of Kaiga except the unit I that has been shut down from October 30 for annual maintenance works, are functioning normally.
” Meanwhile, a miscreant had contaminated the water cooler placed near the unit I with heavy water. The employees who consumed this water have been treated immediately. Investigations are underway to find out who had resorted to this act,” the release added.
All the employees who had consumed the contaminated water are back in duty and none is hospitalised, Dr Jain said adding there is every possibility of an insider behind this act.
He even denied reports that there has been radiation leakage from the plant and informed that the plant has adhered to all safety measures as per the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board guidelines.
Meanwhile, Anil Kakodkar , Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission of India has clarified that the Kaiga unit was safe and there was no need to worry. Though it is true that the contamination of the water cooler is a matter of concern, the NPCL should be more cautious henceforth, he observed.
Locals neglected : Asnotikar
On the other hand, State Minister for Science and Technology Anand Asnotikar has alleged that the Kaiga officials were not taking the locals as well as elected representatives into confidence.
Reacting to the recent incident, he said the incident has given room for doubts on the safety of the plant. He also had another grouse that the corporation has even failed to maintain transparency in recruitment of staff and in awarding contracts.
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