The cobalt-60 that was callously sold by the Delhi University to a scrap dealer an act that resulted in the death of a man and critical radiation exposure to at least seven others is not the only example of the varsity mishandling radioactive substances.
A DU professor has claimed that the physics department dumped as much as 20kg of radioactive material in a 10 feet deep pit on the campus itself, near the chemistry department, some 20 years ago, reports The Times Of India.
"Instead of handing over the hazardous material to BARC for proper disposal, they just buried it in the ground.
Though it's been 20 years, the buried isotopes of substances like uranium could still be active. There are all kinds of pipelines running underneath and so much construction is going on for the Commonwealth Games. It's really dangerous," said professor Ramesh Chandra of the chemistry department.
Chandra said he had raised the issue at the time but wasn't heard. "I had even written to the then vice-chancellor, Munis Raza, saying this was a dangerous practice, but nobody paid any heed," he said.
TOI could not independently confirm Chandra's claim. When asked about the alleged incident, DU vice-chancellor Deepak Pental said, "The people who buy such materials should know how to dispose them of." The head of physics department, professor D S Kulshreshtha, could not be contacted despite several attempts. Sources said Kulshreshtha was not in a position to comment since the matter of his termination from the department was sub-judice.
The incident highlights the complete lack of guidelines or formal training in DU on disposal of hazardous waste. More of such radioactive materials are currently being used in research in various departments like physics, botany, zoology, genetics and molecular biology. Chandra said isotopes of uranium, technitium and vanadium are often used in small quantities for various experiments and research but there is hardly any awareness about the method of their disposal.
The auctioning of the gamma irradiator with a radioactive isotope of Cobalt inside is a classic example of this lack of awareness, he claimed.
The V-C may claim that the department of chemistry had probably miscalculated the age of cobalt-60 thinking it was inactive now, but Chandra was not ready to buy that. He said that the isotope found in Mayapuri could have been active for 12 years more. "It has 10 half-lives of 5.27 years each. That gives it a life of 52 years. It had been here for just around 40 years," Chandra said. He added, "The gamma irradiator weighed 3,000kg and was bought for $20,000 back in 1968. The professor using it for research in radiation chemistry, V K Sharma, retired and then nobody could use it. Thankfully, they had kept the instrument safely. Anyone entering that room had to wear a lead coat."
But they goofed-up in disposing it, he said. He claimed the department had consulted the Okhla-based agent of the Canadian company which had sold the apparatus to DU in 1968, before the auction. Professor V S Parmar, head of the chemistry department, was not available for comment. When contacted on phone, TOI was told Parmar was busy in a meeting.
Meanwhile, the Delhi University Teachers Association on Friday demanded a Visitorial inquiry into the auction of radioactive material by the Chemistry department which led to the death of a scrap worker and said the Vice Chancellor should step down for enabling a fair probe.
Highly critical of the role of VC Deepak Pental in the entire episode, the teachers rejected his proposal to set up an inquiry into the matter, arguing that any probe under the university administration will be an "eye-wash". The origin of radioactive Cobalt-60 found in west Delhi's Mayapuri, which led to the death of one person, was traced to Delhi University's Chemistry Department where it was lying unused since the last 25 years. "We are writing to the President of India seeking a Visitorial inquiry. The President as the Visitor of the institution should constitute a committee of experts to examine the case and fix the blame," DUTA President Aditya Narayan Misra said at a press conference here. He said the case requires an impartial inquiry which does not seem to be possible under the supervision of the VC, whose role itself is questionable. "Any purchase or selling off of equipment takes place only after his due permission. His accepting the moral responsibility is not enough. He should resign immediately, or else his bosses in the HRD ministry should sack him," Misra said.
The Association said the fact that the trail of such material led to the Delhi University is "shameful and unfortunate" and depicts the casual and callous way in which the radioactive equipment was sold out to the scrap dealer. "The VC is trying to protect himself. He will also be protecting others. Let him say he was not aware of the disposal, let him say he is not purchasing equipment for labs," Misra said.
DUTA members also lashed out at the administration for "keeping silent" for a month even as crores of rupees of government money was being spent to find out the source of the radioactive Cobalt-60 found in the scrap shop in Mayapuri. "The VC is an educated man, he is from the Science background as well. It is absurd that he did not know the facts. The gravity of the matter does not appear to have registered on his conscience," said Jafri Abbas, Joint Secretary. However, they said for the fault of the administration, the studies and research in nuclear science should not suffer.
"We appeal to the agencies not to impose a ban on research, which would affect a number of students, but we also ask them to ensure strict standards of safety are followed," said Rajesh Upadhyay, DUTA Treasurer. Terming it as a case of criminal negligence, he said the VC's statement that he was not willing to penalise anyone was shocking. Members also demanded a moratorium on nuclear or radioactive research until a reassessment of safety standards in undertaken, while calling for an immediate suspension of the Chemistry department officials who oversaw the February 26 auction. "Verification of standards in necessary to ensure the safety of the students and the staff," said Sachin N, Member, DUTA Executive Committee.
Shocked over the death of a person due to exposure to radioactive material it sold as scrap, Delhi University announced a compensation of Rs eight lakh to the family of the deceased and a job for the widow. "The Delhi University accepts moral responsibility for the tragic occurrence of exposure to radiation leading to severe harm to six individuals, one of whom has succumbed to the exposure," DU Registrar A K Sinha said in a release. Rajender, 35, a worker at a shop in Mayapuri scrap market, had died due to multiple organ failure this week at AIIMS after being exposed to radiation.
Though financial compensation cannot alleviate the pain and suffering of the affected persons, the university has decided to extend relief by way of financial help, he said. A sum of Rs two lakh would be given to the family of each of the five persons who are undergoing treatment from exposure to radiation, the registrar said. It is understood that a team from Atomic Energy Regulatory Board has arrived here to conduct a full-fledged inquiry into the incident. The chemistry department of the university had sold the radioactive material as scrap. This led to exposure of the scrap shop workers to these materials.
Government on Friday night in New Delhi said those found guilty in connection with radiation exposure in Mayapuri area here will have to undergo punishment. Union Science and Technology Minister Prithviraj Chavan said there was "some failure" on the part of Delhi University which had auctioned the Gamma Irradiator to scrap dealers, leading to radiation exposure in west Delhi's Mayapuri scrap market. "We must draw some lessons from this unfortunate episode...We are very serious about it...Nobody guilty would be spared. Inquries have been launched at various levels," Chavan told. PTI
