NDMA for mobile detection at nuclear sites

After Fukushima nuclear disaster, response teams to be set up at all 20 nuclear plants across India

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has recommended setting up of disaster response teams by state governments to address concerns in case of a calamity at any of the 20 nuclear power plants across India.

NDMA vice chairman Shashidhar Reddy told Business Standard: “India has an enviable and impeccable record of safety & security and virtually fail-safe arrangement in all its nuclear establishments, but preparedness to deal with an unlikely emergency has to be highly focused upon.”

According to the recommendation, state governments should constitute a 35-member response team in consultation with NDMA and Nuclear Power Corporation (NPC).

The decision was taken following a mock disaster management drill at a workshop on June 10 and 11 in the presence of an NDMA team and representatives of the Maharashtra government and NPC. Maharashtra has agreed to set up a special force at NPC’s Tarapur nuclear plant in Thane district.

NDMA said mobile surveillance vehicles and mobile decontamination facilities would also be deployed at the 20 nuclear plants that have a total installed capacity of 4,760 MW. States having nuclear power plants would also be asked to deploy hezmet vehicles for detection and quick response to any disaster.

“In order to assess the capability of the district administration to deal with an off-site emergency, NDMA has conducted a mock drill at the Tarapur nuclear facility.” He said the Thane district administration and NPC have been asked to prepare a comprehensive plan for the emergency zone, spread up to 16 km from the Tarapur plant site. Similar plans would be prepared at all other nuclear plants. “The implementation of such plans will be useful to instill confidence among residents.”

According to Reddy, mobile detection systems would be deployed in 1,000 police stations covering all 28 states and 7 UTs. “Besides, emergency response centres will be set up at 10 locations. These will be in addition to 18, which are currently formed by the Department of Atomic Energy. The DAE is in the midst of setting up another two such centres at the existing nuclear plants.”

NPC officials said safety and security would be upgraded and strengthened at all 20 stations after Atomic Energy Regulatory Board submits its report. Simultaneously, NPC has also suggested short-, medium- and long-term measures to further strengthen safety and security applications at all plants, including those under construction.

The official said Tarapur station, which comprises Tarapur unit I (160 Mw), II (160 Mw), III (540 Mw) and IV (440 Mw), has well-defined emergency plans for fire, earthquake, flood & tsunami.

The station is conducting Radiation Emergency (Plant, Site & Off-Site) Exercise routinely to check the response of various agencies. Reddy said since the Tarapur station is located in a less seismic zone unlike the nuke plant in Fukushima in Japan, there is little chance of tsunami.

Moreover, after the Chernobyl accident in 1986, NPC had revised all operating procedures at the Tarapur station, added Hydrogen monitoring system and launched a full-scope inspection of primary containment. NPC has also carried out safety up-gradation at the Tarapur station.