Panic over nuke leak as Kaiga workers fall ill

Panic hit Karwar and some coastal areas on Friday after 40 maintenance personnel from the Kaiga nuclear plant were rushed to a Mallapuram hospital with symptoms of radioactive poisoning.

The 40 people, who were working at unit no. 1 of the plant were rushed to the Kaiga nuclear corporation hospital where they were kept under observation.

Although hospital authorities have denied the reports of radioactive poisoning and said that they have cleared the staff, sources told DNA that out of the 40 taken to the hospital only six of them have been discharged and one person had been tested for severe level of
radioactivity.

Director of nuclear power corporation Dr Nageshwar Rao and an elite panel of seven nuclear experts from the atomic energy regulatory board of India have rushed to the spot along with some safety experts.

One expert told DNA that the panel will investigate the incident, especially the report of an alleged leakage of Tritium from the plant.

The plant has been shut down immediately. Tritium is a hydrogen isotope and is an essential element required for the production of atom bombs.

What’s really worrying is the fact that the western coast of India is on the terror radar and is very vulnerable to any kind of attack. The panel however played down the reports of any leak.

“There was no leakage as made out by the media reports. The contamination had no connection with the reactor. Those who were looking after the pipeline had released some vapour and some heavy water during a maintenance work. Their urine samples have been tested. There were no traces of radioactivity. However, there were some who drank water from a cooler kept near the maintenance area. Very mild contamination levels were found in them,” officials at the Kaiga plant told DNA. “There was absolutely no danger of any leakage or further contamination in the plant site,” they added.

Rao, who is heading the probe panel, refused to talk. Deputy commissioner of Uttara Kannada Chennappa Gowda told DNA that everything was under control. Tests are being conducted in the Kaiga area as a matter of precaution. About 60 people were working at the site when the accident happened.