AERB seals X-ray equipment at medical centres flouting rules

NEW DELHI, Jul 12: The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, the nuclear watchdog of the country, has cracked whip on erring medical diagnostic centres in Jammu, sealing 13 X-Ray equipment at different centres, for non-compliance of rules.

The AERB also issued warning to few more centres to comply with the specified regulatory and safety requirements within 30 days, failing which they will also face similar action.

In a surprise inspection by the AERB from June 29 to July 1 at Jammu, it found some X-Ray centres were operating without complying with the mandatory safety requirement.

The sealed equipment also include three Computed Tomography (CT) equipment.

“Though the X-Ray equipment are low radiation hazard potential, it is important that they are installed and operated in accordance with radiological safety requirements specified by AERB.

“AERB issues the requisite license/registration after ensuring that they conform to the specified safety requirements,” S Harikumar, Secretary AERB said.

The AERB had earlier taken similar actions against a number of X-ray diagnostic facilities in Mumbai, Jaipur, Nagpur, Raipur, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Pune, New Delhi, Kolkata, Goa, Gaya, Patna, Lucknow and Kanpur.

“It will be continuing a similar action in other places in the country as well,” he said. (PTI)