(a) whether the Government has set up/ proposes to set up
a network of radiation emergency response centres in different
parts of the country to deal with nuclear emergency situations;
(b) if so, the details thereof alongwith the cost involved,
location-wise;
(c) the benefits likely to be accrued as a result thereof; and
(d) the time by which such centres are likely to be made
operational in the country, location-wise?
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES & PENSIONS
AND IN THE PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE (SHRI V. NARAYANASAMY)
(a) Yes, sir.
(b) The Government has set up twenty Emergency Response Centres
(DAE-ERCs) at the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) locations. These
have been developed to be in preparedness for response to any nuclear
and radiological emergencies affecting the public domain. The ERCs
are also meant to provide appropriate advice to the administration/local
security agencies regarding the counter/rescue measures etc., required
in the event of any radiation field / contamination in public domain
either due to any accident or by deliberate acts. It is proposed to
establish 10 more ERCs - 2 more at DAE sites and 8 at National Disaster
Response Force (NDRF) sites.
Training of the “First Responders†from NDRF on “Response to
nuclear/radiological emergencies†is also conducted by the ERCs.
The Emergency Response Centres (ERCs) are equipped with various radiation
monitoring systems for quick assessment of the radiological status by
the Emergency Response Teams (ERTs) comprising of Radiation Safety Experts
of the DAE. Total cost incurred in establishing 20 ERCs including training
of ERTs is ` 12 crore, with annual maintenance of these ERCs is ` 30 lakhs.
(c) This will strengthen emergency preparedness and response capability
at National level and will enable the first responders from NDRF/Police or
any other agencies to get proper advice and guidance in the event of any
nuclear and radiological emergency in public domain.
(d) Details of 20 ERCs, already fully operational, are as follows:
1. Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, (BARC), Mumbai, Maharashtra
2. Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS), Tarapur, Maharashtra
3. Kakrapar Atomic Power Station (KAPS), Kakrapar, Gujarat,
4. Kaiga Generating Station (KGS), Kaiga, Karnataka
5. Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (RAPS), Kota, Rajasthan
6. Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD),
Jaipur, Rajasthan
7. Narora Atomic Power Station (NAPS), Narora, Uttar Pradesh
8. Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL), Aluva, Kerala
9. Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL), Jaduguda, Jharkhand
10. Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre (VECC), Kolkatta, West Bengal
11. Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD),
Shillong, Meghalaya
12. Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD),
Nagpur, Maharashtra
13. Nuclear Fuel Complex (NFC), Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh
14. Madras Atomic Power Station (MAPS), Kalpakkam, Tamilnadu
15. Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD),
Bengaluru, Karnataka
16. Raja Ramanna Centre for Advance Technology (RRCAT),
Indore, Madhya Pradesh
17. Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and
Research (AMD), Delhi, NCT
18. Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP), Kudankulam, Tamilnadu
19. Rare Materials Project (RMP), Mysore, Karnataka
20. Institute for Plasma Research (IPR) , Gandhinagar, Gujarat
Additional ERCs are proposed at 10 locations and are likely to be
operational within 1-2 years. Locations of proposed DAE-ERCs are:
1. Chatrapur, Orissa
2. Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
Locations of proposed NDRF ERCs
1. Kolkata, West Bengal
2. Arakkonam, Tamilnadu
3. Pune, Maharashtra
4. Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh
5. Guwahati, Assam
6. Mundali, Orissa
7 Gandhinagar, Gujarat
8. Bhatinda, Punjab