Page 2 - AERB Annual Report 2020

ATOMIC ENERGY REGULATORY BOARD

Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) was constituted on November 15, 1983 by the President of India
by exercising the powers conferred by Section 27 of the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 (33 of 1962) to carry out certain
regulatory and safety functions under the Act. The regulatory authority of AERB is derived from the rules and
notications promulgated under the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 and the Environment Protection Act, 1986. AERB's
headquarter is at Mumbai.

The Board comprises of six members of which two are whole time members including the Chairman. The
other whole time member is the Executive Director of the AERB Secretariat who is an ex-ofcio member of the Board.
The other four members are eminent experts from various disciplines relevant to the mandate of the Board. The Board
is assisted by a non-member Secretary who is an employee of the Secretariat. The Board is responsible to Atomic
Energy Commission (AEC). AERB carries out its functions through highly qualied work force and specialist
committees under the guidance of the Board. Apex level committees include Safety Review Committee for Operating
Plants (SARCOP) and Safety Review Committee for Applications of Radiation (SARCAR). In addition, there are
advisory committees viz. Advisory Committees for Project Safety Review (ACPSR), Advisory Committee on Nuclear
and Radiological Safety (ACNRS) and Advisory Committee on Security (ACS). The ACPSR advises to AERB on
issuance of consents at different stages of projects of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) under the purview of
AERB, after reviewing the submissions made by the project authorities, based on the recommendations of the
associated Project Design Safety Committees (PDSC).

The SARCOP carries out safety surveillance and recommends enforcement of safety stipulations in the
operating units of DAE under the purview of AERB. SARCAR recommends measures to enforce radiation safety in
medical, industrial and research institutions, which use radiation and radioactive sources. AERB receives advice on
development of safety codes / guides and on generic and specic safety issues concerning the safety of nuclear and
radiation installations from ACNRS, Advisory Committee on Security (ACS) advises AERB on nuclear security
aspects and Occupational Health and Safety Committee (OHSC) advises AERB on occupational health safety matters.

The administrative and regulatory mechanisms are in place to ensure multi-tier review of all safety matters
Including by experts in the relevant elds available nationwide. These experts are chosen from reputed academic
institutions, R&D organisations, industries and Governmental Agencies.

AERB has a Safety Research Institute (SRI) located at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu, which carries out research
in safety related topics and organises seminars, workshops and discussion meetings. Regional Regulatory Centres
(RRC) of AERB set up at Kolkata, Chennai and Delhi carry out regular surveillance of the radiation facilities in eastern,
southern and northern zones respectively. AERB comprises of 8 Technical Divisions in addition to the Safety Research
Institute. Executive Director, Directors of Groups and Heads of Directorates / Divisions constitute the Executive
Committee, which meets periodically and takes decisions on important matters related to the functioning of the
organisation. Integrated Management System (IMS) of AERB integrates all the processes required for fullling its
functions into an integrated framework enabling AERB to achieve its mission.

AERB enforces the following Rules issued under the Atomic Energy Act, 1962:

• Atomic Energy (Radiation Protection) Rules, 2004.

• Atomic Energy (Factories) Rules, 1996.

• Atomic Energy (Safe Disposal of Radioactive Wastes) Rules, 1987.

• Atomic Energy (Working of the Mines, Minerals and Handling of Prescribed Substance) Rules,1984.