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"A nuclear scientist, S. Ananthanarayanan working in the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) in Tamil Nadu is missing since last week, police said Thursday. "We got a complaint from his wife Feb 18 and registered a complaint as 'man missing'. As per our information, Ananthanarayanan was disturbed about the health condition of his child and he might have gone to some temple," Deputy Superintendent of Police (Mamallapuram) Sambandam Murthy told IANS. IGCAR, located inside Kalpakkam nuclear complex, some 80 km from here, is one of the highly sensitive atomic research institutions in the country that is involved in design and development of nuclear reactors. "Ananthanarayanan joined IGCAR in 1997 and is a scientific officer E grade, that is middle level. He is involved in development of software for managing healthcare data of the employees and their family members," J. Daniel Chellappa, head (technical) told IANS."

Two research fellows died after a fire broke out in a laboratory of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in northeast Mumbai on Tuesday. The BARC clarified that its nuclear reactors were safe and there was no radioactive leak. The dead are Umang Singh of Mumbai and Partha Bagh from Kolkata, both 25 and Ph.D students of radiochemistry. Sources said there were helium and nitrogen cylinders in the lab, which are likely to have exploded. It took firefighters 45 minutes to control the fire, which could have resulted in a major disaster, they added.

Two research fellows died after a fire broke out in a laboratory of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in northeast Mumbai on Tuesday. The BARC clarified that its nuclear reactors were safe and there was no radioactive leak. The dead are Umang Singh of Mumbai and Partha Bagh from Kolkata, both 25 and Ph.D students of radiochemistry. Sources said there were helium and nitrogen cylinders in the lab, which are likely to have exploded. It took firefighters 45 minutes to control the fire, which could have resulted in a major disaster, they added.

Three men were caught with 5 kg of "regulated and prescribed material" Uranium-238 on the city's outskirts Tuesday. They are suspected to have got the radioactive material, also known as depleted uranium, from an imported scrap consignment belonging to a Navi Mumbai company. They were booked under sections of the Atomic Energy Act by the Panvel police. Nuclear experts say that Uranium-238 is a "protected material" with only special and regulated agencies allowed to possess and transport it.

Three men were caught with 5 kg of "regulated and prescribed material" Uranium-238 on the city's outskirts Tuesday. They are suspected to have got the radioactive material, also known as depleted uranium, from an imported scrap consignment belonging to a Navi Mumbai company. They were booked under sections of the Atomic Energy Act by the Panvel police. Nuclear experts say that Uranium-238 is a "protected material" with only special and regulated agencies allowed to possess and transport it.

The Tarapur Atomic Power Station - which has since long been on the radar of terrorist organisations - has been shaken by a security breach. Two contract workers managed to steal two computers from the site, and even got them past the first security point of the nuclear plant, which is guarded by over 300 Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel. The accused, Prashant More and Amit Shelke, were nabbed when they failed to give a satisfactory reply at the second security post. More and Shelke worked for Sharma Engineering, a company that has been awarded a maintenance contract for the piping in the core area of the 320 Mw thermal power plant.

The Tarapur Atomic Power Station - which has since long been on the radar of terrorist organisations - has been shaken by a security breach. Two contract workers managed to steal two computers from the site, and even got them past the first security point of the nuclear plant, which is guarded by over 300 Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel. The accused, Prashant More and Amit Shelke, were nabbed when they failed to give a satisfactory reply at the second security post. More and Shelke worked for Sharma Engineering, a company that has been awarded a maintenance contract for the piping in the core area of the 320 Mw thermal power plant.

Tritium is a radioactive isotope of hydrogen, which has one proton and two neutrons, where a normal atom of the element would have one proton and no neutrons. It is produced naturally when hydrogen is bombarded by cosmic rays, and is also a by-product of reactions that drive nuclear power plants. Tritium atoms almost invariably bind to oxygen atoms, to create tritiated water. The isotope is a weak source of radiation, emitting low-energy beta particles that cannot penetrate the skin, and are therefore not dangerous outside the body. If inhaled or swallowed, however, the beta particles present a radiation hazard. As with all poisons, the risk depends on the dose.Trace levels of tritium are present naturally in all water supplies and are not harmful. Higher exposures, however, may cause cancer, and have also been linked to birth defects in the children of people who are exposed.

Tritium is a radioactive isotope of hydrogen, which has one proton and two neutrons, where a normal atom of the element would have one proton and no neutrons. It is produced naturally when hydrogen is bombarded by cosmic rays, and is also a by-product of reactions that drive nuclear power plants. Tritium atoms almost invariably bind to oxygen atoms, to create tritiated water. The isotope is a weak source of radiation, emitting low-energy beta particles that cannot penetrate the skin, and are therefore not dangerous outside the body. If inhaled or swallowed, however, the beta particles present a radiation hazard. As with all poisons, the risk depends on the dose.Trace levels of tritium are present naturally in all water supplies and are not harmful. Higher exposures, however, may cause cancer, and have also been linked to birth defects in the children of people who are exposed.

State-owned power company launches inquiry after radioactive tritium in water cooler makes 55 employees ill Authorities investigating the deliberate leaking of a radioactive substance into drinking water at an Indian atomic plant say a disgruntled worker could be behind the safety scare. The state-owned atomic power company launched an inquiry into how radioactive tritium seeped into a water cooler and remained at levels dangerous enough to make 55 employees ill after they drank the contaminated water. Urine samples found workers at the Kaiga nuclear power plant, in the southern state of Karnataka, had unusually high levels of radioactivity in their bodies.

State-owned power company launches inquiry after radioactive tritium in water cooler makes 55 employees ill Authorities investigating the deliberate leaking of a radioactive substance into drinking water at an Indian atomic plant say a disgruntled worker could be behind the safety scare. The state-owned atomic power company launched an inquiry into how radioactive tritium seeped into a water cooler and remained at levels dangerous enough to make 55 employees ill after they drank the contaminated water. Urine samples found workers at the Kaiga nuclear power plant, in the southern state of Karnataka, had unusually high levels of radioactivity in their bodies.

"A robust people's movement against a major nuclear power project has built up in a cluster of small villages on India's picturesque Konkan coast. The BBC's Zubair Ahmed reports: Some 350km (220 miles) from India's commercial capital, Mumbai, lies the village of Madban overlooking the vast expanse of the Arabian Sea. It is in this village that a 10,000 megawatt nuclear power plant is proposed - and farmers and fishermen, backed by campaigners, are hardening their stance against it. People from Madban believe the project will cause havoc to the environment and to their livelihoods. "

"Recently Baosteel Co Ltd Special Steel Business Unit Steel-making Plant successfully cast a 35 tonnes octagon ingot for the first time while smelting a heat of extremely difficult steel for nuclear power. According to quality inspection various technical indicators all meet the specified requirements. The steel grade produced this time is the steel for nuclear power, which has very stringent requirement for composition control and the selection of raw material is very rigorous. In order to ensure the successful smelting of this new steel grade, the steel-making plant selected quality raw material and organized professional technical personnel to study the smelting characteristics of this steel grade and carefully devise the smelting process program. Elaborate preparations and precise operations featured the process of furnace purging, dry-out and charging operation."

"One more suspected source of radiation has been detected in the sprawling scrap market at Mayapuri here in the Capital where two scrap dealers and five workers were taken ill this past week after being exposed to Cobalt-60 radioactive isotope. Confirming this, B. Bhattacharjee, Member of the National Disaster Management Authority and former Director of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, said on Tuesday: "We were informed about the detection of another radiation source today [Tuesday].""

Where are all the Indian workers suffering from radioactive radiation? How is occupational exposure recorded, how are victims diagnosed, provided legal remedy and compensated. A metal scrap dealer and four workers are being treated in Delhi for exposure to radioactive material, identified as Cobalt-60. They are in a serious condition. The radiation exposure happened in the Mayapuri locality of West Delhi in the last fortnight. A 1-kilometre radius around the shop was cordoned off as a precautionary measure. Experts from the Atomic Centre as well as National Security Guards have told police that the radiation is only in a limited area. This needs to be taken with a pinch of salt. A team was requisitioned from Mumbai-based Atomic Energy Regulatory Board which found during screening that radio-active emissions were coming from the scrap. The workers were exposed to a radioactive isotope under mysterious circumstances at a scrap market in West Delhi. The police suspect that the scrap consignment containing the metal piece was brought from neighboring Faridabad and that it originated from abroad. "

"Doctors suspect extensive damage to bone marrow The condition of all six persons exposed to radioactive material at a scrap market in the Capital's Mayapuri area continued to be highly critical on Saturday with doctors suspecting extensive damage to their bone marrow, making them severely susceptible to infections. Deepak Jain, who is admitted to Indraprashtha Apollo Hospital, is reported to be "very critical" and his treatment is being managed in consultation with senior Bhabha Atomic Research Centre officials. "Deepak is being treated for severe burns and his bone marrow is significantly suppressed. His condition is being closely monitored by a multi-disciplinary team of doctors,'' said a statement issued by the hospital. "

"The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) has confirmed to NDTV that it was indeed a radiation leak in a West Delhi scrap market where five people have taken ill. A top DAE team is on its way to investigate the matter. The DAE says the radiation levels are quite high and radiation sickness is a serious matter. Five people fell ill after coming in contact with a bright shining object at a scrap shop in west Delhi's Mayapuri Industrial Area. They were hospitalised after they complained of dizziness, rashes and dry throat some who came in closer contact even suffered burn injuries. The police and doctors say is case of exposure to radiation."

"City-based economist and social activist Sulabha Brahme has slammed the state government's proposal to start mega power plants in the Konkan region. Brahme said the proposal to start nuclear and thermal projects to generate 30,000 megawatts (MW) of power would damage the ecology of the Konkan irreparably.Brahme was delivering a lecture on 'Jaitapur nuclear power plant and its impact' organised by the Pune branch of the Marathi Vidnyan Parishad (MVP) in the city on Tuesday."

"Teachers informed physics department head and VC, but no action was taken: source Seven teachers in the Delhi University Department of Physics and Astrophysics wrote a letter in February that a radioactive source room in the department had got flooded and the Head of Department was orally apprised of the situation, but no action was taken, it has been alleged. A university source said a hot lab in the Department had reportedly been flooded with water this January-end. "The hot lab contained radium-beryllium (Ra-Be) sources that produce neutrons and mutate other sources. The Ra-Be sources were stored at the ground level. The entry of water in the lab may imply that the Ra-Be sources could be damaged and cause the water and the air in the lab and also the soil to be radioactive. The Head of Department was verbally informed of the matter in the beginning of February, following which a letter signed by seven teachers was sent to him on February 19. A copy was also sent to the Vice-Chancellor," the source said."

"The government on Tuesday admitted its helplessness in providing adequate compensation to victims of radiation exposure in Mayapuri market in the absence of a specific law backing compensation to victims of radioactive accidents. Minister of State for Science and Technology Prithviraj Chavan told the Rajya Sabha that such a law needs to be enacted and welcomed suggestions in this regard. "Let us accept that there is no law today, and we need to enact the law for civil compensation for victims of radioactive accidents," Chavan said in response to a call attention motion in which Opposition members repeatedly raised the issue of compensation to victims of Mayapuri incident. "

"Death triggers fear among kin of other patients The death of a radiation victim on Monday, who was undergoing treatment at AIIMS, has created panic among families of other victims. Kin of four critically ill victims, undergoing treatment in AIIMS, Apollo and Army hospitals, are doubtful about their recovery. Most of the victims are the sole bread-winners for their families. Sources said AIIMS was not equipped to handle radiation cases. This has resulted in the death of one of the five patients admitted to the hospital. "AIIMS does not have the first-hand experience in treating such patients who are exposed to radiation," said sources. The condition of the two patients admitted to AIIMS is reported to be critical. Dismissing the claims, doctors at AIIMS said the victims were being provided with medical care on a par with international standards. "We are treating these patients according to the international protocol to be followed in such cases as there is no specific treatment for such cases and only supportive treatment could be given," said Dr AB Dey, Professor, Department of Medicine at AIIMS. He said the next four weeks would be crucial for the patients. "Next four weeks are very critical for these patients and we are taking every possible measure to save their lives. Only after four weeks we will be able say something about the future course of treatment," added Dey."

"India's nuclear power regulator has turned to Canada for help after a tragic incident in which a gamma-ray generator purchased 40 years ago from Atomic Energy of Canada Limited was mistakenly sold for scrap by the University of Delhi -- killing one recycler and leaving at least six others with severe radiation sickness requiring possible bone-marrow transplants. An Indian government panel is already investigating how one of that country's leading universities could have trashed a highly radioactive instrument along with old tables and chairs from a chemistry lab."

"Toshiba, parent of U.S.-based nuclear plant producer Westinghouse Electric Co., is also planning to increase production of power equipment outside Japan. The company plans to build a facility for steam turbines and generators for thermal power plants in India's Tamil Nadu state in January 2011, the Nikkei reported today. "

"Greenpeace said Friday it had detected dangerously high levels of radioactivity near a New Delhi salvage yard where radiation poisoning last month killed a worker and left seven more in hospital. The environmental group said its experts picked up radiation 5,000 times above normal background levels at the privately owned salvage facility in the city's congested Mayapuri district and its surrounding areas. "We picked up six hotspots between 20 and 50 metres (65 and 165 feet) from the scrapyard, which means radiation has spread into the streets, which is very dangerous," said Greenpeace radiation expert Van Vande Putte."

"In a surprise development, the government has decided to refer the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment and Forests instead of the one on Energy as was widely expected. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Energy is headed by SP leader Mulayam Singh Yadav while the one on Science and Technology, Environment and Forests is chaired by Congress member in Rajya Sabha T Subbarami Reddy. Yadav was a vocal critic of the Bill till some time back though he was apparently won over by the government at the time of the Bill's introduction in Lok Sabha on the last day of the Budget session. "