Chandan Sharma

Delhi University has formed an expert committee to look into the careless handling of the radioactive material Cobalt-60. The committee will probe that how the radioactive substance reached to the local scrap dealer. If believe on the university sources, about 20 truck scrap were sold in the last week of February 2010, which ultimately created killer radioactive exposure to the scrap dealer and its workers.

But the million dollar question is that whether the DU, Vice Chancellor Deepak Pental has already taken moral responsibility of the incident, itself is the competent authority to look into such a serious issue. The biggest Central University of the country, that could not even handle the unused radioactive substance carefully, is ready to probe firstever incident of such kind related to the university that led the death of one person and injured some others seriously. If believe on the Delhi University teachers, more scrap of radioactive substance are also there in the university which need to be probed.

Experts say that Atomic Energy Regulatory Body (AERB) is the only authority in the country which has mandate to probe such kind of incidents. Moreover, he has expertise into incidents related to radio-activities. So, the probe should be referred to the AERB in this regard. It will look into lapses into safety measures and other aspects of the incident. It is notable that Delhi University may have to pay heavy penalty for such kind of safety lapse, if it is proved.

But only glitch is that any outer agency needs approval of Visitor of the university to initiate such kind of probe. The President of India is the Visitor of Delhi University. And, in this case Visitor should order a free and fair enquiry in this regard. Institution of an enquiry by Delhi University itself is like Ham hee chor aur ham hee kotwal (We are the culprit and we are the judges too). Incidents like these needs a reliable and free enquiry and not just eyewash because it is not just a matter or to find out fault and culprit but also a matter of life and death of many common people, not just scrap dealers and workers but also teachers, students, researchers too.