Thiruvananthapuram:
The Government has finally reacted to the last week's fire accident atIndia's main nuclear research laboratory, the Bhabha Atomic ResearchCentre (BARC) in Mumbai, which left two people dead. (
Read: Fire at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, 2 killed)
Science and Technology Minister Prithviraj Chavan spoke exclusively to NDTV. (
Watch the interview)
Q: What progress have we made in finding out the cause of the fire at the lab?
A: The fire at one of BARC's chemistry labs was an unfortunateaccident. We have not yet been able to pinpoint what caused it. I am inconstant touch with the BARC director; all their forensic andscientific teams are investigating the accident. There are conjectures,but let us wait for the final report.
Q: But why is the fire mysterious?
A: The two people who witnessed the event are no longer with us.Also, it was just an instrumentation lab, which doesn't store anychemicals, except for small quantities required to test thespectrophotometer. There doesn't seem to be an external element either.
These researchers had been there for a very long time, working overmany years. But the lab was refurbished recently, and this was theirfirst day in the refurbished lab. A possible connection with therenovation will also be looked at.
But it may not be possible for the report to pinpoint exactly what happened.
Q: Recently, there was another mysterious incident at a nuclearfacility. The poisoning of 92 workers with radioactive tritium at Kaigawas considered insider mischief. But there have been no arrests tilldate. Why?
A: The two incidents are not related. The incident at Kaiga wasperhaps the work of some disgruntled employee, because there is noquestion an outsider coming into the high security area.
It was at a lab where water samples are routinely tested. Heavy watergets tritiated when it goes through a reactor. Someone poured a verysmall quantity of this water into the water cooler. Exactly who did itis still not known.
Q: Two mysterious incidents at high-security sites raise doubtsabout the safety of our nuclear establishments. Some link this incidentwith terror suspect David Coleman Headley, who was arrested withpictures of BARC. Is it possible that an insider has been compromised?
A: I think that would be stretching the imagination too far -whether we link the two incidents or consider an extraneous element. Weknow exactly what happened at Kaiga; who did it is still not known,several people passed through the corridor where the water cooler wasplaced.
Regarding the BARC fire incident, we should have some answers soon.
Q: Two unsolved mysteries, yet you are satisfied with what is happening?
A: No, I am not satisfied. All our scientific establishmentswill have to reinforce their safety standards and work procedures;people cannot take things for granted. An accident, by definition, isan unusual happening - and it can happen. We will take all precautions(to keep all facilities secure).
The chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, Dr Srikumar Banerjee, also spoke to NDTV. (
Watch the interview)
Q: Do we know what triggered the fire at BARC?
A: We still don't have an exact answer. This is the mostunfortunate event that I have encountered in my 40+ years at BARC. Whenfire broke out, our response team was quick to act and managed tocontrol it within 45 minutes; the fire was not allowed to spreadeither. But the unfortunate part is the death of two of our very youngcolleagues.
Q: There was another unfortunate event at Kaiga, the tritiumpoisoning. Are these two incidents linked? Is there a possibility offoul play?
A: I can definitely say that these are two isolated events. Ithink people are linking them because both occurred within a shortframe of time. Otherwise, there is no link whatsoever.
Q: Should people still trust the BARC and have faith in what it does, despite these accidents?
A: Despite these accidents, I would strongly urge that peoplehave complete faith in our system. There is nothing that will escapeour notice in the future. I can give total assurance to our people andcolleagues that these kinds of events will not happen.
Q: Have you ordered a review of safety and security?
A: We have ordered a safety review of the labs within BARC.Also, a decongestion of BARC is something we have been doing on a warfooting, and this will be implemented in matter of weeks.