Sahil at his home in Chatikocha village. Picture by Srinivas

Jamshedpur, May 23: The Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) has reiterated its claim of radiation-free environment in Jadugoda even when two fresh cases of radioactive victims surfaced in a recent survey by The Telegraph.

Each of the cases was spotted in two villages — Chatikocha and Tuadungri — which are within 100m from the UCIL’s tailing pond.

Three-year-old Sahil Hembram of Chatikocha is suffering from deformity on the right side and both his right hand and leg are weak from birth because of paralysis.

“When I consulted a doctor who visited the village during pulse polio drive two years ago he had confirmed that my child was suffering from numbness due to radiation,” said Shankar Hembram, his father.

The other victim, 45-year-old Panchu Hembram’s left side is partly paralysed.

“The doctors say the condition will not improve as I live close to the tailing pond,” said Panchu, who has been rendered jobless for the past six months due to the disease.

As usual, UCIL officials denied the claims saying that these problems cannot be due to radiation which is of low intensity measuring about 0.1 millisievert per annum. For radiation to be harmful this should be more than 1000 millisievert per annum.

“Our medical team has reported that the child is suffering from malnutrition. Sahil’s mother is quite weak too because of six pregnancies at just 23 years,” said UCIL’s company secretary P.V. Dubey, adding: “Panchu is suffering from high blood pressure and he has developed paralysis last year after falling from his bicycle and got brain injury.”

However, The Telegraph’s findings were supported by a health department team. The two-member team of Sushant Bhattamishra and Shyam Soren, in their report to district civil surgeon, confirmed that both the victims have developed complication in the limbs due to radioactivity in the tailing pond of UCIL.

“Both are victims of radiation, according to the report,” said East Singhbhum civil surgeon Sanjay Kishore Ravi, adding that he would visit the villages soon.