FAISALABAD, Dec 16: The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) is sharing ideas and information with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and other organizations to improve the safety at nuclear installations in the country.

Inaugurating the ninth annual training course on “Safety measures in the use of radiation in agriculture and biology” at NIAB here on Monday, PAEC Safety director Dr Syed Arif Ahmad claimed that the commission had adopted extreme precautionary measures on its nuclear installations.

Employees were following instructions at their workplace to avoid exposure to radiation, he added.

Dr Arif said nuclear scientists had evolved a safety culture as a result of which there were almost zero chances of any accident.

Lauding NIAB in training scientists on safety measures, he said handling sophisticated technology definitely involved greater risks. That was why such courses were of utmost importance, he added.

NIAB director Dr Mohsin Iqbal stressed the need of using latest technology in the agricultural research to meet the need of quality conscious export market.

He said after the implementation of GATT in 2005 when there would be free flow of agricultural commodities in the world, only those nations would be able to survive who have latest techniques to improve the quality of their crops.

He said NIAB was playing a key role in improving agricultural production and successfully carried out applied and basic research in the selected areas such as crop improvement, crop nutrition, crop protection, salinity, environmental management and animal biology by applying nuclear and other advanced techniques.

Dr Mohsin said NIAB has qualified staff of over 100 scientists and well equipped laboratories with facilities such as radiation source and measuring equipments for carrying out research work using radiation.

Principal scientific officer Mrs Nasim Khalid Warraich said 25 people were attending the course from all over the country.

It was designed to acquaint them with theoretical and practical use of detectors, radiation units and dose rate formula, interaction of radiations with matter, occupational exposure, uses and abuses of radiation, radiation decontamination, types of radiation source and their handling, storage of radioisotopes, etc.

INTER EXAM RESULTS: The Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) on Monday announced the results of intermediate (supplementary) examinations, 2002.