Ready to tackle chem, nuke weapons by terrorists: Govt

The government has drawn up fool-proof guidelines to deal with possible terrorist attacks, involving nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, and formed specialist teams that will swing into action to deal with such eventualities.

The three standard operating procedures (SOPs) drawn up by the government provide for identification of potential targets and the formation and training of specialist response teams, home ministry sources said today.

SOPs for responding to terror attacks using chemical weapons and involving use of radioactive materials have been circulated to the concerned ministries and state governments for drawing up individual action plans and initiating necessary preparedness measures.

The sources, however, said so far no inputs have come to the notice of the government regarding terrorists acquiring chemical and biological weapons and radioactive materials for use in attacks.

Four of the eight battalions of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been earmarked specially for responding to such terrorist strikes.

On steps taken by the government to check the acquisition of such weapons by terrorists, they said the establishments and institutions handling radiological, nuclear, chemical and biological materials have "adequate fail-safe security stipulations" to check such items from being procured by unauthorised persons.