Following recent casualties of Cobalt-60 in Delhi, the government has alerted the army about a Chemical Biological Radio and Nuclear (CBRN) threat ahead of Commonwealth Games 2010.
Six battalions under Delhi-based 60 and 35 brigades are undergoing the CBRN training in their respective formation and will also have a joint training capsule with Delhi Police. “Delhi Police is solely responsible and will be fully geared up for the same, but the army also has been asked to be prepared as stand by,” an officer said.
The army is constituting a quick reaction mobile team (QRMT), comprising a nuclear, biological, chemical (NBC) platoon, a medical team and an infantry team of 70-80 personnel, which be inducted and mobilised in no time. QRMT will identify the threat and carry out a de-contamination drill.
Six battalions are being trained in rotation in the special exercise, which includes identification of the threat, cordoning the threat area, use of special chemicals, controlling damage caused by contamination, medical assistance and evacuation. Chief of army staff, General VK Singh’s battalion, 2 Rajput, is also part of the Delhi-based 60 Brigade.
An officer said, “There may not be much of a nuclear threat, but the government sees some radioactive, bio and chemical threat in the Games. Identification will be done by the engineers’ NBC platoon, while the infantry will cordon the area. The medical team would assist those infected.”
India saw its worst ever radiation leak last month in Delhi when one person died and several others were taken critical after they were exposed to Cobalt 60 when an auctioned machine was opened up by scrap dealers.
