India’s nuclear emergency response plan strong and well-prepared: Minister Nityanand Rai

NEW DELHI: Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai told the Rajya Sabha that India’s current Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) plan for nuclear and radiological emergencies is well-draughted, comprehensive, and does not need alteration in terms of South Korea’s Act on Radiation Disaster”.

The existing framework, as developed under the National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP), 2019, incorporates nuclear emergency response in the District Disaster Management Plan (DDMP) through an all-hazard framework. The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) is the nodal organisation for nuclear and radiation emergencies and has developed a comprehensive Crisis Management Plan (CMP).

Various categories of nuclear emergencies are dealt with under this system—viz., Plant Emergency, Site Emergency, and Off-Site Emergency. While the former two are dealt with within the confines of the plant and are a necessary condition for obtaining operational licences for a nuclear power plant (NPP), the off-site emergency is related to infrequent but potentially unsafe releases in public zones. These are dealt with by the District Administration and Disaster Management Authorities in coordination with NPPs and according to NDMA guidelines.

To further promote preparedness, the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) is designing a new off-site emergency exercise system that will challenge and reinforce multiple components of emergency response.

The pivotal role the police play in emergencies was understood, and officers are regularly trained and equipped. NDMA has provided three specialist tools—Go-No-Go tools, dosimeters, and survey meters—to be made available at police stations in 56 cities to identify orphan sources of radioactivity.

Apart from nuclear locations, NDMA has also organised Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) sensitisation programmes in the vicinity of seven nuclear power plant locations to develop capacity across all stakeholders. Training on special CBRN emergencies has also been offered at seaports and airports, with 38 courses conducted and more than 1,500 staff trained so far.