Lodge FIR against VC in radiation case, say DU students
By IANSTuesday, May 4, 2010
NEW DELHI - A police case should be lodged against Delhi University (DU) vice chancellor Deepak Pental for gross negligence and irresponsibility over the radiation leak fiasco, the Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) demanded Tuesday.
“The radiation fiasco which cost a person his life happened only because of gross negligence of the officials of the science department under the administration of the vice chancellor,” Kriti Wadhera, vice president of the students union, told reporters here.
“Only taking moral responsibility for the incident cannot give life back to the affected. An FIR should be lodged against the vice chancellor (VC) and he should resign from his post,” she added.
Wadhera also said proper guidelines should be framed for handling and disposal of radioactive waste.
“The university has no norms for disposal of radioactive waste materials and there is no regulatory body which can keep an eye on such things. Therefore, we staged a protest in front of the VC’s office today (Tuesday) demanding proper rules for handling and disposing such waste which can be life threatening,” she said.
The radiation leak was reported about a fortnight ago from a scrap market in Mayapuri area of west Delhi. Police said the source of the leak was a radioactive gamma cell containing Cobalt-60 that was auctioned as scrap by Delhi University’s chemistry department two months ago.
The Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) is also planning to stage a protest in front of the VC’s office Wednesday.
