ALIGARH July 11: The eight member committee appointed by Vice Chancellor, Prof. P.K. Abdul Azis submitted its report confirming that the much talked about radiation level of Radium Beryllium source stored for decades is within safe limits. The Committee also concluded that the laboratories, storage and disposal areas in the department conformed to the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) guidelines and radiation level detected was within the permissible limits.
Meanwhile Mr. B.K. Singh, Scientific Officer, Radiological Safety Division, AERB, Mumbai who visited and inspected the radioactive source facility yesterday found that “Department of Physics, AMU, Aligarh is safe and secure from the radiological point of view”.
The Committee with the help of a technical expert Mr. Bilal Husain, Lecturer, Department of Radiotherapy using a highly sensitive Radiation Survey Meter WB88 Low Range (Pulsecho System) measured radiation levels at all locations in the Physics department and found environmentally safe limit everywhere including at UG Lab (0.02 mR/hr), Radioisotope storage room that contains storage pit (inside room: 0.04 mR/hr, near the storage drum: 0.56 mR/hr, above the storage pit 2.45 mR/hr and surrounding room: 0.02 mR/hr).
The Ra-Be source that caught the attention of media for over one week also recorded limits that do not warrant alarm (backside of the room, 0.06 Mr/hr, one side of the room 0.07 mR/hr, inside nearby storage room 0.56 mR/hr, entry side to the room 15 mR/hr (at one meter from the door), entry side of the room at about 3 meters 0.5 mR/hr. At entry door (at one meter) to the storage room, situated outside the building has shown slightly higher radiation level but within safe limit as there is no occupancy around. As an extra precautionary measure the committee suggested barbed wire fencing until the source is taken back by AERB as suggested by the University. The Vice Chancellor Prof. P.K. Abdul Azis has already contacted Mr. S.A. Husain, Radiation Safety Officer, AERB for safe disposal of the Be Re source and Mr. Husain has assured that he will safely take back the source within one month.
In Zoology Department the committee found that radioisotopes were used during nineties but at present it is not used and no radiation was detected beyond background radiation level. Similarly a low level radioactive isotope p32 was last used in the Biochemistry department in 2008 for research which was safely disposed of. The place shows no detectable level of radiation.
The Department of Applied Physics and Interdisciplinary Nanotechnology Centre were also using low intensity milli and micro level for research and teaching. The radioactive level measurements detected no radiation. The sources were found to be safely kept in lead containers and during usage the safety norms as prescribed by AERB were observed.
The Department of Radiotherapy is using Cobalt-60 and Iridium192 for treatment of malignancy in a fully secured environment. The department is authorized to use the material procured from AERB. Equipments are remotely controlled and uses all safety devices during and after applications. It also sends a six monthly department survey reports regularly to AERB.
The Centre for Diabetes and Endocrinology is using I125 radioactive isotope for diagnostic purposes only. The material is handled, stored and disposed of in a fully secured and safe environment. The monitoring device indicated a safe level in and around the radioactive material usage, storage and disposal area.
The report was jointly presented by the Chairman of the Committee, Prof. Pervez Qamar Rizvi and Convener Prof. Akhtar Haseeb, Prof. V.K. Abdul Jaleel, Registrar, Ms. Yasmin Jalal, Finance Officer, Prof. Pervez Mustajab, Controller of Examination, Prof. Saud Alam Qasmi, Dean, Faculty of Theology, Prof. N.A.K. Durrani, Media Advisor, Dr. Rahat Abrar, PRO and several other functionaries of the University were also present on this occasion.
Prof. P.K. Abdul Azis while accepting the report urged all user departments to strictly follow all norms and guidelines provided by AERB in all matters relating to procurement, use, storage and disposal of radioactive material.
