Indian Homeland Security News and Updates

Indian Ministry of Home Affairs to procure radioactive material detection equipment

Mumbai, May 22: The Union ministry of home affairs is in the process of putting in place a disaster management and mitigation plan to combat the eventuality of a 'dirty bomb' attack.

All the state governments have been told to submit lists of locations that could be targeted. The lists will be reviewed annually.

The ministry has decided to install radioactive material detection equipment at entry and exit points on international borders, airports and seaports to monitor unauthorised trafficking of radioactive substances. Similar monitors will also be installed at vulnerable locations in all the metropolises. These will be linked to the nearest police stations, says the circular issued by the central ministry to the state governments. DNA is in possession of the confidential document.

The radioactive monitors will also be fitted in vehicles of VVIPs entitled to Z and Z+ category security. Police vans patrolling highly-sensitive areas too will have the equipment. A three-tier combat-strategy has been formulated to tackle such disasters.

The ministry is of opinion that the terrorists are likely to carry out 'dirty bomb' attacks mostly in sensitive places and densely populated areas in metros. The targets can be railway stations, bus terminals, economic nerve centres, entertainment and religious venues, schools, shopping and sports complexes and business centres.

The ministry has added that the 'dirty bomb' can also be used to contaminate crops, food reserves, and livestock. "The intention will be to create fear, panic, scare and confusion," it states in its counter-strategy paper.

Targets in Mumbai, state to be listed by June 15.

Based on the guidelines issued by the central government, the Maharashtra government has formed three committees to devise strategy to combat terror attacks involving radioactive and nuclear devices, chemical substances, and biological materials.

M Rameshkumar, additional chief secretary, relief and rehabilitation, said, that these committees comprising senior officials from the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and the state pollution board had been asked to draw up contingency plans to tackle any such eventuality. "The committees will draw up the list of vulnerable sites, identify areas that the state government needs to bolster, and devise the nature of training capsules needed to deal with such disasters. All the panels are expected to submit their reports by June 15. Their recommendations will be sent to the central government.