That most of an estimated 130,000 X-ray machines used at different hospitals, clinics and diagnosis centres across the country don't have Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission licence is yet another instance of enforcement failure. As is the case with many more such areas, here, too, the law is there all right but is regularly flouted in absence of an effective and efficient enforcement system. In this particular case, failure to regulate and enforce laws has caused, what we may call, a double-barrelled impact, affecting both the public health and the public exchequer. The commission has been deprived of crores of taka in unpaid licence and renewal fees from the establishments using X-ray machines and other sources of radiation since September 1998. Secondly, and crucially, unregulated and unmonitored use of radioactive devices could well result in improper use of these on patients, thereby inflicting irreparable damage on them. We are more concerned about the hazard posed to the public health and cannot help condemn the criminal callousness shown so far by not only the commission but also other relevant government agencies.

In our considered view, the government should immediately undertake a two-dimensional redressal measure to put things in order on the radioactive front, so to speak. The commission's countrywide survey to find out the exact number of radioactive machines currently in use, albeit incomplete, has been a positive development towards accomplishing one of the solutions we have in mind. It is imperative that the commission go ahead with the survey and finish it as soon as possible. Here, however, the commission should try to find out a rough estimate of unauthorised users through an elimination process. We are sure it has a list of those establishments who have been regular in licence renewal. Once the preliminary data is at the commission's disposal, it should segmentise the country and institute a central enforcement and monitoring cell for each segment. There should also be an apex body to co-ordinate the monitoring and enforcement efforts. Unlicensed users of radiation sources should not only be slapped with hefty fines but also be made liable to criminal procedure.

As we have said, this is much too serious an issue to be overlooked. We hope the commission and the relevant government agencies would realise that.