KARACHI: Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA) has issued directives to the port authorities dealing with cargo arriving directly or indirectly from Japan to screen closely all kinds of edible and non-edible consignments for radiation.
In this regard, PNRA has made clearance certificate mandatory for consignments being imported directly from Japan in the wake of prevailing serious crises in Fukushima nuclear power plant.
The authority directed the country’s port authorities to check radionuclide contamination levels in edible goods as per Clause 12 of SRO 837(I)/2004, regulation on radiation protection PAK-904.
“Under the SRO 837(I)/2004, Clause 12 radionuclide contamination levels in edible goods, (1) No person shall import any edible goods without a certificate from the relevant authority of the country of origin of the goods to ensure that the radionuclide levels in the goods are not more than those specified in the regulation in Annex II. (2) No person shall produce, manufacture or otherwise prepare, store, sell or offer for sale any edible goods.”
For contamination monitoring of non-edible goods, the port authorities also asked to scan the consignments from the radiation portal monitors installed at Karachi International Container Terminal (KICT) and Pakistan International Container Terminal (PICT) and Integrated Cargo Container Control (IC3) terminals.
The PNRA also asked to collect the swipe samples (wet or dry) by rubbing tissue paper and despatch it to the concerned directorate for analysis.
The PNRA also directed to the port authorities to collect and despatch ‘sample of edible goods’ imported from Japan to the concerned directorate for analysis.
Few years back, the IC3 facility was built to control illegal transportation of arms, radioactive materials and narcotics. The IC3 facility in a joint investment of over $8 million by Pakistan Customs and the United States Customs and Border Protection has built country’s first IC3 facility constructed at Port Qasim. Purpose of IC3 programme is to enhance international maritime trade security considering post 9/11 security issues.
Sources in Pakistan Customs told Daily Times that the country imported $863 millions worth of different items from Japan since July 1, 2010.
These items include, automobile, Complete Knock Down (CKD) parts used car assembling, machinery, iron, steel, telecom equipments, organic chemicals, etc.
Few days earlier, country’s leading scientists had asked the federal government to immediately halt imports form Japan in the wake of nuclear crises prevailing in Fukushima nuclear power plant to avoid any adverse affects.
There would be less radiation effects in Pakistan as winds were blowing towards United States and Canada from Japan.
But reports indicated that extraordinary iodine level has been reported by experts in Pakistan in the goods being imported form Japan, but there is a lack of strict mechanism to closely filter any sort of radioactivity.
The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) also revealed that small traces of airborne radioactive iodine were detected in Pakistan, but the amount of radiation detected in Pakistani air does not pose a serious threat to the environment so far. All Europe countries, north-western Asia and India have already banned imports from Japan.
Recently, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) appreciated Pakistan’s contribution towards the Nuclear Security Fund as it stood at 10th largest contributor and it clearly demonstrates a national commitment and serious approach toward nuclear security through the implementation of the Nuclear Action Plan for the country.
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