DHARMAPURI: The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) maintains no records of accidents that happen at its atomic stations, according to a response under the Right to Information (RTI) Act .
In reply to an RTI plea filed by K Arunabharathi, State general secretary of Tamilaga Youth Front and State executive member of Tamizh Desiya Periyakkam, the DAE replied that they had not compiled and maintained information about the deaths and accidents at atomic stations.
Arunabharathi had sought information on how many employees died while working in the DAE stations since 1980 and how many died due to radiation.
He also sought to know the number of suicides and accidents and the stations where those incidents happened.
In response, the DAE said the information was not available.
“This clearly shows how lethargic the DAE functioning is. Already a section of people in Tamil Nadu are worried about the safety of atomic stations. This reply frightens us more,” Arunbharathi told Express.
“We also suspect that the DAE deliberately had not maintained such records. If the records were maintained, then people will seek information on accidents at atomic stations through RTI. So with an intention to hide information, the DAE has not been maintaining them,” he alleged. Arunbharathi has now approached the Anusakthi Bhavan in Mumbai to get details.
“A Supreme Court verdict has said that the information officers of the appropriate department should collect information and reply, in case that particular information is not readily available,” he added.