Dinesh Kumar Shukla assumed charge as the chairman of Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) on December 31, 2022. 

Shukla, who is a distinguished scientist and former executive director of AERB, has been appointed to this post for a period of three years.

Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB)

• The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) was constituted on November 15, 1983 by the President of India by exercising the powers conferred by Section 27 of the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 (33 of 1962) to carry out certain regulatory and safety functions under the Act. 

• The regulatory authority of AERB is derived from the rules and notifications promulgated under the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 and the Environment Protection Act, 1986. 

• Its headquarters is situated in Mumbai.

• The mission of the AERB is to ensure the use of ionising radiation and nuclear energy in India does not cause undue risk to the health of people and the environment.

• The Board comprises six members of which two are whole time members including the chairman. The other whole-time member is the executive director of the AERB Secretariat who is an ex-officio member of the Board. The other four members are eminent experts from various disciplines relevant to the mandate of the board. 

• Regional Regulatory Centres (RRCs) of AERB set up at Kolkata, Chennai and New Delhi carry out regular surveillance of the radiation facilities in eastern, southern and northern zones respectively.

• AERB has a Safety Research Institute (SRI) located at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu, which carries out research in safety related topics.

Functions of AERB:

• Develop safety policies in the areas of nuclear, radiation and industrial safety for facilities under its purview.

• Develop Safety Codes, Guides and Manuals for siting, design, construction, commissioning, operation and decommissioning for nuclear and radiation facilities.

• Grant consents for siting, construction, commissioning, operation and decommissioning, after an appropriate safety review and assessment of nuclear and radiation facilities.

• Ensure compliance with the regulatory requirements prescribed by AERB during all stages of consenting through a system of review and assessment, regulatory inspection and enforcement.

• Prescribe the acceptance limits of radiation exposure to occupational workers and members of public and acceptable limits of environmental releases of radioactive substances.

• Review the emergency preparedness plans for nuclear and radiation facilities and during transport of large radioactive sources, irradiated fuel and fissile material.

• Review the training Programme, qualifications and licensing policies for personnel of nuclear and radiation facilities and prescribe the syllabi for training of personnel in safety aspects at all levels.

• Take such steps as necessary to keep the public informed on major issues of radiological safety significance.

• Maintain liaison with statutory bodies in the country as well as organisations abroad regarding safety matters.

• Promote research and development in the areas of safety.

• Review nuclear and industrial safety aspects in nuclear facilities under its purview.

• Review safety related nuclear security aspects in nuclear facilities under its purview.

• Notifying to the public, the ‘nuclear incident’, occurring in the nuclear installations in India, as mandated by the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010.

Specialist committees

AERB carries out its functions through highly qualified workforce and specialist committees under the guidance of the Board. 

Apex level safety committees include:

i) Advisory Committee for Project Safety Review (ACPSR) - It advises to AERB on issuance of consents at different stages of projects of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) under the purview of AERB, after reviewing the submissions made by the project authorities, based on the recommendations of the associated Project Design Safety Committees (PDSC).

ii) Safety Review Committee for Operating Plants (SARCOP) - It carries out safety surveillance and recommends enforcement of safety stipulations in the operating units of DAE under the purview of AERB.

iii) Safety Review Committee for Applications of Radiation (SARCAR) - It recommends measures to enforce radiation safety in medical, industrial and research institutions, which use radiation and radioactive sources.

iv) Advisory Committee on Nuclear and Radiological Safety (ACNRS) - The Advisory Committee on Nuclear Safety (ACNS) was constituted in January 1985 to advise AERB on generic issues affecting the safety of nuclear installations including siting, design, construction, commissioning, operation and decommissioning. This committee was reconstituted as Advisory Committee on Nuclear and Radiation Safety (ACNRS) after dissolution of ACNS and Advisory Committee on Radiological Safety (ACRS).

v) Advisory Committee on Security (ACS) - It advises AERB on nuclear security aspects.

vi) Occupational Health and Safety Committee (OHSC) - It advises AERB on occupational health safety matters.

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