Tilman Alfred Ruff (right) at the news meet. Picture by Bhola Prasad

Jamshedpur, Nov. 14: A member of Medical Association for Prevention of War, Australia, Tilman Alfred Ruff today visited Dungridih village in East Singhbhum that witnessed spilling of radioactive waste due to a leakage in the pipeline that carries it to the tailing pond of Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL).

Ruff, who is also a director at International Physicians for Prevention of Nuclear War, claimed that the 25 families are forced to live in unhealthy and toxic environment due to the leakage.

His visit was organised by a local NGO, Jharkhand Organisation Against Radiation, which campaigned against the radiation.

Talking to reporters today, Ruff maintained that the world should shun nuclear power in view of the waste it produces. “Toxic and unhealthy waste has spilled over the entire region and I am surprised to find children playing on the radioactive waste. Though UCIL has covered the area with a layer of earth, people of the area may still be affected by the ill-effects of radiation,” said Ruff.

He said that people should not live within 100m of the pipe that carries radioactive material.

However, UCIL officials blamed the residents of Dungridih for encroaching on the areas that was acquired by them. They said the company has initiated resettlement plan for the residents.

“We have identified a land near our trainee hostel where the residents would be shifted. The process of construction of the houses for the affected people has been initiated,” said Ramendra Gupta, the CMD of UCIL, speaking from Mumbai.

He rubbished the claims of any adverse effect on the people and maintained that they have taken all precautionary steps.

“The entire region is safe and we have surveyed that area to ensure that. The claim of excess radiation is totally false,” added Gupta.