(published)
C Shivakumar
Chennai
The
Union government has alerted Tamil Nadu government to be prepared in
the event of a ‘dirty bomb’ attack, according to sources.
The state government is planning a standard operating procedures to face any eventualities during the nuclear,
biological or chemical attack, the source said. The Tamil Nadu
government is seeking the help of Department of Atomic Energy in
radiological emergencies, he added.
The
security personnel posted at airports, railway stations, bus terminals,
economic nerve centres, entertainment and religious venues, schools,
shopping and sports complexes and business centers are the first
responders and they have been sensitized in handling these situations,
the source said.
Since
the 9/11 attacks the fear of terrorist groups using dirty bombs has
increased significantly worldwide, which has been frequently reported in
the media. Even during the 26/11 attacks, the DAE scientists were sent
to the Gateway of India to find out whether the terrorists have
triggered a dirty bomb, sources said.
A “dirty bomb,” also
known as a radiological weapon or a readiological dispersal device
(RDD), is a conventional explosive packaged with radioactive materials.
It involves wrapping radioactive material such as spent nuclear fuel rods around ordinary high explosives, and detonating the device. The package could be used in a car bomb or many other forms of delivery. The damage is not caused so much by the explosion, but by the intense radiation that would be released into the atmosphere, sources said.
This could cause deaths, and cancers and other health problems over many years, sources said.
In order for a terrorist organization to construct and detonate a dirty bomb, they must acquire radioactive material by stealing it or buying it through legal or illegal channels. Even IAEA has warned about the threat of nuclear terrorism and had called for increased international efforts to reduce the risks of nuclear smuggling
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