Jaipur: Describing India's nuclear safety standards as very high, Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) Chairman Anil Kakodkar today (July 27, 2004) dispelled fears about radiation related diseases in Pokharan region after nuclear tests and in areas near atomic power stations in the Country. "We are taking extreme steps for nuclear safety by constantly reviewing the processes of nuclear power generation and training of manpower", he told reporters after inaugurating office-cum-lab complex of Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research in Jaipur.

Chernobyl type accident cannot occur in India because "we are using different and advance technology of nuclear power generation. There is no chance of a sequence of events that developed in Chernobyl mishap occurring in Indian plants", he said.

Asked about reports of health problems in Pokharan and around Rawatbhata nuclear power station in Rajasthan, Kakodkar said there was no connection between reported health problems and radiation level in these areas.

Constant and regular observation of radiation level at Pokharan was being maintained and "radiation level has been just natural normal", he said.

It is the situation with all atomic power plants, including Rawatbhata, where radiation level was under permissible limit in the plant complexes and their surrounding areas, Kakodkar said.