Cobalt-60 trail takes experts to Rewari
Source: TOI
NEW DELHI: The mystery of the missing cobalt-60 pencils further deepened with investigators claiming that the lead cover of the gamma irradiator -- in which the radioactive metal was kept -- was melted at a furnace at Rewari in Haryana by one of the scrap dealers.
This shocking revelation has led to a team of experts from the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and Atomic Energy Regulation Board rushing to Rewari, where a combing operation was carried out on Saturday for radiation sources.
The agencies have so far have failed to find any radioactive source in the Haryana town. BARC officials told TOI the search would continue. They said cobalt-60 does not lose its radioactive properties despite being heated at high temperature in a furnace.
Since the lead was melted and sold to various people, experts did not rule out the possibility of the cobalt-60 being distributed across a wide area.
Police said, after buying the irradiator in an auction from Delhi University, Harcharan Singh Bhola sold the lead cover which contained cobalt-60 to another dealer, Giriraj Gupta. Gupta further sold it to Manish Jindal, a trader in Lahori Gate. Jindal took the scrap to his furnace in Rewari where the lead was melted.
DCP (west) Sharad Agarwal said, "We have carried out searches at Rewari but so far no radiation has been found. The officials of BARC and AERB are working to trace any further sources of radiation. An alert has also been sounded in the town and we have asked workers to remain watchful of any symptoms of radiation exposure."
An AERB official who visited Rewari on Saturday told TOI, "We believe that after being melted, the lead was sold in the market and is being used for different purposes. The radioactivity of the cobalt inside the lead cover has not died and we are awaiting any adverse report about the reaction of cobalt from adjoining areas. Of course, there is a possibility that the lead had no cobalt-60 in it."
Meanwhile, the Delhi Police said they would start an inquiry into the claim made a chemistry professor at DU, Ramesh Chandra, about the possibility of uranium being buried on the varsity campus. DCP (north) Sagarpreet Hooda said, "We are seeking the help of AERB and have written to them for an inquiry into the possible presence of uranium in DU. The help of the radiology safety department has been sought."
The cops have also asked the varsity to make available records of any uranium containing machines or substance bought by them.
On Saturday, AERB said that had categorized the Mayapuri radiation fiasco as level four on the International Nuclear and Radiation Event Scale, denoting high radiation exposure to more than one person.
"The entire incident was reported to the International Atomic Energy Agency under the incident reporting system which is a mandatory requirement of the global nuclear watchdog and to the illicit trafficking data base of the agency," said an AERB official. This is worst radiation accident in the world since 2006, he added.
NEW DELHI: The mystery of the missing cobalt-60 pencils further deepened with investigators claiming that the lead cover of the gamma irradiator -- in which the radioactive metal was kept -- was melted at a furnace at Rewari in Haryana by one of the scrap dealers.
This shocking revelation has led to a team of experts from the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and Atomic Energy Regulation Board rushing to Rewari, where a combing operation was carried out on Saturday for radiation sources.
The agencies have so far have failed to find any radioactive source in the Haryana town. BARC officials told TOI the search would continue. They said cobalt-60 does not lose its radioactive properties despite being heated at high temperature in a furnace.
Since the lead was melted and sold to various people, experts did not rule out the possibility of the cobalt-60 being distributed across a wide area.
Police said, after buying the irradiator in an auction from Delhi University, Harcharan Singh Bhola sold the lead cover which contained cobalt-60 to another dealer, Giriraj Gupta. Gupta further sold it to Manish Jindal, a trader in Lahori Gate. Jindal took the scrap to his furnace in Rewari where the lead was melted.
DCP (west) Sharad Agarwal said, "We have carried out searches at Rewari but so far no radiation has been found. The officials of BARC and AERB are working to trace any further sources of radiation. An alert has also been sounded in the town and we have asked workers to remain watchful of any symptoms of radiation exposure."
An AERB official who visited Rewari on Saturday told TOI, "We believe that after being melted, the lead was sold in the market and is being used for different purposes. The radioactivity of the cobalt inside the lead cover has not died and we are awaiting any adverse report about the reaction of cobalt from adjoining areas. Of course, there is a possibility that the lead had no cobalt-60 in it."
Meanwhile, the Delhi Police said they would start an inquiry into the claim made a chemistry professor at DU, Ramesh Chandra, about the possibility of uranium being buried on the varsity campus. DCP (north) Sagarpreet Hooda said, "We are seeking the help of AERB and have written to them for an inquiry into the possible presence of uranium in DU. The help of the radiology safety department has been sought."
The cops have also asked the varsity to make available records of any uranium containing machines or substance bought by them.
On Saturday, AERB said that had categorized the Mayapuri radiation fiasco as level four on the International Nuclear and Radiation Event Scale, denoting high radiation exposure to more than one person.
"The entire incident was reported to the International Atomic Energy Agency under the incident reporting system which is a mandatory requirement of the global nuclear watchdog and to the illicit trafficking data base of the agency," said an AERB official. This is worst radiation accident in the world since 2006, he added.
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