Chhattisgarh is among four States where Directorate of Radiation Safety (DRS) had been functioning in the country. The other three States are Kerala, Mizoram and Tripura. The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) has also signed MoUs for establishing DRS with eight more States (Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Arunachal Pradesh).
As informed by the AERB, there are a large number of medical diagnostic X-ray facilities in the country, which have not yet applied to AERB for obtaining the necessary registration. The AERB has been facing difficulties in regulatory control of these on account of the large number of units spread across the country and the accelerated growth in their number.
However, the radiation hazards involved in such facilities are very low, to cause any unacceptable health risks. Such units do not emit any radiation unless they are energised and no emergency situations are envisaged at such facilities from the radiological safety stand point. In regulation of these facilities, AERB’s approach emphasises on ensuring safety built into the design of the equipment apart from operational safety.
The regulatory control is exercised on the suppliers/ manufacturers to ensure maintenance of quality assurance during manufacturing/ sale of such units to give satisfactory performance during use at the place of end users. This is in line with the approach followed across the world. AERB has taken up the matter with the State Governments / Union Territories for formation of State level Directorates of Radiation Safety (DRS) under the Health & Family Welfare Department of the respective State Governments/Union Territories.
State Governments/UTs are not authorised to do so. However, AERB has taken steps for enhancing the regulatory coverage for diagnostic X-ray facilities and there has been an encouraging response. AERB issues warning letters / show cause notices to certain non-complying institutions. The Health Minister JP Nadda stated this in a written reply in the lok Sabha.