Study shows no BARC scientist died of radiation-related cancer, must allay undue fears: Minister Jitendra Singh

New Delhi, Feb 9 (PTI) Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh on Thursday sought the help of MPs to allay the fear among the public about radiation-related cancers, saying an in-house government study of scientists at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre ((BARC) revealed zero deaths due to radiation exposure.

“We did a study to find out how many scientists working at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre had died of radiation. You will be surprised to know that there were none. There were only two or three unnatural deaths happening and about one or two cancers which were not related to radiation,” Singh said during the Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha.

He said it was the responsibility of all MPs to allay these fears in people.

“In some foreign countries, mining projects and nuclear reactors are now even being established in residential colonies or their close vicinity,” Singh said.

The minister was referring to how a huge source of uranium in Meghalaya got stuck up and attempts to put up a plant at Rawalbhata have been delayed for two to three years due to fear among the people.

“All precautions are taken wherever mining is done or even reactors set up. But there are public apprehensions. Sometimes someone says there will now be an epidemic of cancers happening now, though we have been providing studies to the contrary,” he said.