US Insists on 100% Examination of Cargo for Arms and Nuclear Material

India to Foot Bill for Machines and Face Cancer Risk from Gamma and Ray Radiation

Americans want 100% examination of cargo that originates from Indian ports to avoid arms and radioactive material going undetected.

India has installed three gamma-ray mobile scanners at Chennai port, Nava Sheva in Mumbai and Tuticorin while one fixed scanner is under construction at Chennai port.

The mobile GammaRay scanning (GaRDS) system, a US technology for mobile container scanners can scan a container every five minutes is a costly process under which the Union cabinet sanctioned Rs 175 crore for acquiring the technology. Physical examination of a container takes over five hours per container.

The alternative of manual checking with risk management and profiling techniques are suitable to Indian environment. The risks to human health during checking are severe, specially because high doses of radiation are required to pierce tick plates of metals. Sensitive goods like pharma or biological material will be spoiled by the checking thru gamma rays.

The other alternative of Pre Shipment Inspection through DGFT approved agencies too is not working very well with no approvals of new agencies in the last one year. Men are superior to machines, this is still not accepted by US and India.