Radiation detection system to be set up in Ludhiana

Mohit Khanna

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Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, November 29

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) will equip 930 police stations short-listed across the country with Mobile Radiation Detection System (MRDS) to prepare for a biochemical attack by terrorists. Out of these, ten police stations have been selected from Ludhiana. It is the only city in the state to have been chosen for the scheme.

Documents available with The Tribune show the move had been taken to provide safety to the people in case of radioactive emissions. The body will deploy over 1,000 pieces of surveillance equipment across the country in order to tackle such hazards.

Officials said the monitoring instrument would be installed in the vehicles of Station House Officers in the city. Police personnel (nodal officers) will be imparted special training to cope with a radiological emergency.

The equipment will cover mainly Budha Nallah, the industrial area and major hospitals of the city. The instrument will give a warning “Go/ No Go” signal to the policemen entering an area where the presence of radioactive material is suspected. Further, they will also be provided with a face mask, which will prevent them from inhaling the radioactive material.

Stickers of radiation symbols will be provided to the police for cordoning of the area. These instruments and gadgets will enable the police to handle the situation for the first few hours till the time a specialist arrives at the scene.

On June 12, six persons were killed and around 100 complained of breathing problems following a leak in ammonia tanker in Doraha. Even some of the policemen also fell ill. This equipment will enable the police to handle such incidents in a better way.