DAE refutes report on cancer deaths in its atomic energy hubs

The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) has refuted media reports regarding cancer deaths in atomic energy hubs, terming them as ''malicious distortion of facts.'' In fact, the DAE said, the report is based on gross distortion of information provided in response to an RTI query.

Whereas the report cited 2,600 deaths due to cancer, out of a total of 3,887 deaths of employees in 19 centres, DAE said the actual number of cancer-related deaths reported by DAE units between 1995 and 2014 stood at 152 of a total of 2,564 employees who died during the period.

The DAE was responding to a recent report published by a section of the media about Cancer behind 70% deaths in India's atomic energy hubs. This is a gross distortion of facts, it said.

The report had cited ''2,600 deaths due to cancer, out of a total of 3,887 deaths of employees in 19 centres (during 1995-2014)'', attributing the information to responses to RTI queries made by Chetan Kothari of Mumbai. He received information (vide his RTI query dated 22 June 2010 and 29 March 2014) from the Department of Atomic Energy on the number of deaths of its employees while in service due to various causes, including suicides.

''The malicious report also quoted a 'shocking revelation of 255 suicides' in BARC during the same period 1995 to 2014. However, nothing can be farther from the truth, because this report does not reflect the information given by the units of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) to Kothari,'' DAE said in a statement.

DAE said it has once again scrutinised the information provided by its units, especially the major units, directly to Kothari in July-August 2010 (for the period 1995-2010), and in April-June 2014 (for the period from 2010).

The total number of deaths of DAE employees in service over the period of 1995 to 2014 works out to 2,564 and this includes 69 cases of suicides (as against the report claiming 3,887 deaths and 255 suicides).

''The number of deaths reported by DAE units due to cancer-related causes is 152 out of the above 2,564 deaths. All the responses do not necessarily contain information on the cause of deaths (response to information is always based on available information alone).

DAE said while the actual number of deaths of employees due to cancer-related causes could be higher than 152, it would in no case be anywhere near 2,600, as being made out in the media report.

The media report seems to have got its numbers wrong, although it refers to the RTI source.

DAE has cited a Tata Memorial Centre (TMC) study covering 22,224 DAE workers and their families at three major Indian nuclear installations (Tarapur, Kaiga and Kakrapar) between 1981 and 2012, which found that cancer accounted for 9 per cent of all deaths in this population group. This incidence of cancer-related deaths among DAE employees, DAE pointed out, is similar to what is seen in other sections of society.

In contrast, the report quotes the highly exaggerated figure of 70 per cent of cancer deaths (2,600 cancer-related deaths out of a total of 3,887 deaths of DAE employees).

''The average number of deaths of DAE employees while in service over the period 1995 to 2014 works out to about 130 per year. There is nothing abnormal about this rate, considering that the number of employees in the entire DAE is nearly 60,000 and that the annual death rate in India is reported to be 6 to 8 per 1,000.''

''The outlandish claim on the rate of cancer deaths and suicides among DAE employees seems to be based on grossly erroneous and distorted interpretation of the information provided by DAE units in their responses to the RTI query.''

According to the DAE, the report was a blatant attempt to malign the agency and cause considerable damage to the nuclear energy programme in the country in the long-run and needed strong condemnation.

''It is very unfortunate that a section of the media not only published such a completely misleading report without carrying out necessary and sufficient verification of all facts and figures, but has also ignored the DAE appeals to publish its response,'' the agency pointed out.