Jamshedpur, Sept. 2: The department of atomic energy (DAE) is keen on opening a cancer treatment centre in the city with infrastructure support from state government.

Chairman Atomic Energy Commission Sekhar Basu, who was in Jaduguda today to inaugurate the country's only underground science laboratory at a Uranium Corporation of India (UCIL) mine at a depth of 555 meter, said he had discussed the plan with Bidyut Baran Mahto when the Jamshedpur MP met him yesterday.

'However, the state government should submit a proposal to the Prime Minister's office (DAE is under PMO) with details of infrastructure like land or an existing building with basic facilities like electricity and water as the Punjab government had done in Sangrur.'

Basu, who is also DAE secretary, told journalists at Jaduguda, around 35 km from the steel city, that Mahto had promised to take it up with the state government. The DAE would require around 15 acre from the state government for setting up the facility but would ideally like to take over an existing facility for setting up a cancer treatment project.

DAE is already running cancer treatment facilities at Vishakapatnam, Chandigarh, Sangrur and on Banaras Hindu University (BHU) campus. It also runs a regional radiation medicine research centre at Calcutta.

'Complicated cases are referred to Tata Memorial Center which is also managed by DAE. It is among the best cancer hospitals in Asia. We consider it to be a hub of cancer treatment while the other centres are the spokes. Our centre have teleconference facility wherein experts from Mumbai guide treatment protocols in case of complicated cases,' he said, adding that DAE was keen on setting up a 'spoke' centre in Jamshedpur.

Basu said he also held preliminary discussions with Mahto on a proposal to set up a nuclear power plant in East Singhbhum district.

'The Jamshedpur MP convinced us about easy availability of water (from Subernarekha river). However, we informed him that there were two criteria, one, a minimum 1 sq km radius of land without human population near the reactor and two, the area should not fall in seismic zones 4 and 5. We will have to look into these factors before considering the MP's proposal,' said Basu.

CMD of UCIL C. K. Asnani, who also was present, said the PSU target was to be able to provide fuel for all its nuclear reactors in the country.

He also revealed that UCIL had plans to increase the life of the underground mines at Jaduguda and work was on to start another underground uranium mine at Banadungri in Narwapahar, close to Jaduguda.

In Jharkhand, UCIL is operating six underground mines _ Jaduguda, Bhatin, Narwapahar, Bagjata, Turamdih and Mohuldih _ and one open pit mine _ Banduhurang- all in the Singhbhum region. Uranium ore produces from these mines are processed at two central plants located at Jaduguda and Turamdih. The products from both the plants are sent to Nuclear Fuel Complex, Hyderabad for nuclear fuel fabrication.