By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, JULY 11, 2019: THE Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) is the regulatory authority for issuing Licenses/Registration for X-ray facilities from radiation safety view point. AERB is aware that in spite of its continuous regulatory efforts, there may be some X-ray centres that are using X-ray units without obtaining mandatory approval from AERB. At present, 69,030 diagnostic X-ray equipment are licensed by AERB through its online system namely e-licensing of radiation applications (e-LORA) as on June 2019.

AERB is continuously putting all regulatory efforts to bring diagnostic X-ray equipment, in the country, under its regulatory ambit by increasing awareness in close coordination with Ministry of Health, States/Union Territories through the respective district Law Enforcement Authorities and District Health Authorities and through AERB's Regional Regulatory Centres.

AERB issues licence to operate only equipment that have obtained Type (design) approval from AERB. The Type approval process involves physical verification of every model of X-ray equipment and ensures in-built design safety for protection of patient and radiation worker. As part of its online registration process, in the first stage, AERB verifies institution details through review of legal documents such as institution PAN CARD and certification of State/ Local Authorities issued for the institution.

AERB has already comprehensively reviewed the regulatory requirements and incorporated in AERB Safety Code {AERB/RF-MED/ SC-3 (Rev.2), 2016}, based on which the process of registration was implemented in the e-LORA online system. AERB continuously reviews its regulatory mechanism based on feedback obtained from the stakeholders, international requirements etc., of licensing and revises its licensing process without compromising the radiation safety.

This information was provided by the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha yesterday.