9. Assam-India-Disaster Management [Disasters-Nuclear and Biological] [Part-9]

Contents :
-Nuclear Disaster [Nuclear Radiation Accident] : Definition as per IAEA
-Types of Radioactive Discharges
-Initiatives Related to Safe Radioactive Discharge :
-International Conventions & Agreements:
-1986 : Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident
-1994 : Convention on Nuclear Safety (CNS)
-1997 : Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management
-2011 : European Union (EU) Directives on Radioactive Waste and Spent Fuel Management
-India’s Initiatives:
-Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB)
-Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
-Effluent Treatment and Dilution
-Role of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
-Biological Disasters : Epidemic and Pandemic
Biosafety Levels : 4
Level 1 - Deals with microorganisms not known to generally cause any diseases in healthy humans
Level 2 - Accidental contact with these agents is considered to be moderately risky
Level 3 - Deals with agents that can cause lethal infections, these agents can transmit through air
Level 4 - Deals with agents that can cause life-threatening infections, for which no vaccinations are readily available
-Biological Hazards
-Biological Warfare (BW) : The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is the nodal ministry for Biological Warfare and associates with the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare in its management
-Biological Disaster - Legal Framework -The Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897
-Biological Disaster Management System :
-The National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) is the nodal agency for exploring outbreaks in the country
-The NICD/Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) imparts teaching/ training, research, and laboratory support
-NDMA guidelines on Management of Biological Disasters
-Next Class : Chemical and Industrial Disasters