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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

More stations to monitor radiation

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MUSCAT, JUNE 9 - As part of the government move to strengthen preparedness for radiological hazards, more radiation monitoring stations are being set up in the Sultanate. This follows completion of the first phase of a study on developing infrastructure for a national nuclear emergency plan including Radiation Monitoring Network and Early Warning System Project in the country. There will be 16 more radiation monitoring stations located all across the Sultanate, which are expected to be operational by the end of this year.


Mohammed bin Salim al Toobi, Minister of Environment and Climate Affairs, made an indication to this effect in a recent statement. “As part of recommendations by a global consulting firm to avoid potential radiation hazards, more early warning stations will be set up in addition to the existing ones at different locations,” he said. An agreement to conduct the study was signed between the ministry and a Canadian firm in July 2015.


In a recent meeting with Majlis Ash’shura, the minister also said, “The new locations have already been identified and will be readied to become operational by the end of 2018.” The first stage of the project includes preparing the technical specifications for the system machines and designs of the stations.  The second stage will have the construction, installation, operation, maintenance of the detection stations, supervising the operation and maintenance programme and providing training for employees.


The design will be at par with standards for the early warning system set by International Atomic Energy Association.


In early 2015, the ministry had upgraded its existing eight monitoring stations which are connected to the main hub in Al Khuwair.


The stations in Al Khuwair and Al Bustan in Muscat and Taqah in Dhofar have two sensors, while the other stations in Barka, Suhar, Sur, Dibba and Bukha in Musandam have only one sensor each.


Each station contains a one or two sensors to monitor gamma rays, a data processor, a data sender in addition to a server and central control unit at the ministry to control and display monitoring rates obtained from the field monitoring stations to compare them with limits and follow-up the status of monitoring devices.


Moreover, the data server is equipped with a warning system that sends alerts to mobile phones held by specialists of the ministry in case of radiation rates at the monitoring area exceeds limits.


Readings by the ministry indicate that the Sultanate so far has radiation levels within the normal range.


Based on the results obtained about monitoring rates since the system was updated, it is clear that the system which was installed is functioning well. In addition, the results obtained are much lower than the limits.


SAMUEL KUTTY


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