Radiation Victims belie all claims

Jadugoda, Uranium Mines, Jharkhand  

Chatikocha, next to Jadugoda mine is its tailing pond, which is half a kilometer crow fly distance. The worst cases are found in this village. Mithun Patro, 8 year old, has become mentally handicapped and he cannot do anything except smile when you meet him. He cannot even stand on his own legs. His mother has to take extra pain in looking after him. The adverse impact of Uranium mining and processing are such that it inevitably leads to an increased exposure of the community, especially the women, to ionizing radiations from uranium and its associated elements such as radium and radon. Ionizing radiations cause an increase in cancer and birth defects.