It is shocking that in the nation's capital city a scrap dealer, four of his employees and another person should be battling for their lives after handling radioactive waste in the form of Cobalt 60. Apparently, the radioactive waste possibly emanated from a hospital and was part of the scrap purchased by the dealer for recycling. Neither the dealer nor his staff was aware of the deadly material and unknowingly handled it without taking even the smallest precaution. The effect of that has manifested itself in the most gruesome manner. While nuclear experts have subsequently checked the premises and the market where the scrap shop is located and declared the place safe and free of radioactive contamination, it is anybody's guess as to how the six persons who are now under medical supervision will fare. However, some serious questions have come to the fore which require to be answered by authority. First, we need to know what is the source of the radioactive waste that found its way to the scrap dealer's shop. Was it carelessly dumped by a hospital along with its other waste? If so, then it is a telling comment on the lax controls that are followed more in the breach than in practice. The guilt hospital should be identified and exemplary punishment must be meted out to its administrators so that others are deterred from being indifferent towards such serious aspects of medical waste management. If the radioactive waste is sourced to a consignment of imported scrap, then there is cause for equal if not more concern. What that would imply is that there is no check on what is being imported into the country; worse, those in charge of verifying contents of containers being shipped to India would be guilty of being criminally callous about fulfilling their responsibility. The standard procedure adopted at ports in all countries is to check containers for hazardous material; this would be all the more true for containers used for shipping scrap. There is also the requirement to check containers for radioactive material. Are the laid down procedures followed at our ports? If not, shouldn't accountability be fixed?
The last aspect is about urban management. Local administrators and civic agencies responsible for monitoring trade in scrap and hazardous material are supposed to maintain a strict vigil. It is obvious that had there been a strict monitoring system in place then such an appalling incident would not have occurred. Are we then to assume that no such controls exist? Or that if they do, they are not implemented? There should be a full inquiry into the whole affair and responsibility must be fixed, heads must roll. India aspires to emerge as a world power. Delhi is being showcased as a 'world class city'. Which aspiring world power, which 'world class city', would allow radioactive waste to be dumped in this manner? More alarmingly, if radioactive waste can float around in this manner, undetected and uncontrolled by authority, then terrorists cannot be prevented from smuggling in and using a 'dirty bomb'. The significance of last week's incident cannot be over-stressed. Conversely, if authority tries to suppress the facts or chooses to ignore them with the intention of covering up the lapses of officials concerned, then it would be a pity and a shame. The Union Government must step in and ensure that something similar does not happen ever again.
