RTI reveals lack of preventive safety measures at nuclear sites
8 Jul, 2012
An application filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, sought information on the National Disaster Management Authority’s (NDMA) policy on preparing the local people before commissioning a nuclear power plant. The applicant, S.P. Udayakumar, has argued that there should be a policy on preventive safety measures with NDMA.
In reply to an application filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has informed that "...there is no policy made by NDMA about preparing the local project affected people before commissioning a nuclear power plant anywhere in the country." The NDMA's publication Management of Nuclear and Radiological Emergencies, 2009, has no guideline regarding the pre commissioning safety drills and evacuation drills to be administered to local people within 30 km radius of the project. It has been suggested by many organisations that just like the fire drills which are conducted all over the country, there should be safety and evacuation drill in every village and town in the 30 km radius of a nuclear plant before commissioning the project.