Special provisions as to safety
Section 17 of the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 deals with special provisions as to safety. The Central Government may, as regards any class or description of premises or places, being premises, or places, in which radioactive substances are manufactured, produced, mined, treated, stored or used or any radiation generating plant, equipment or appliance is used, make such provision by rules The Act came into force on 21 Sep 1962.
(1) The Central Government may, as regards any class or description of premises or places, being premises, or places, in which radioactive substances are manufactured, produced, mined, treated, stored or used or any radiation generating plant, equipment or appliance is used, make such provision by rules as appear to the Central Government to be necessary--
(a) to prevent injury being caused to the health of persons employed at such premises or places or other persons either by radiations, or by the ingestion of any radioactive substance;
(b) to secure that any radioactive waste products resulting from such manufacture, production, mining, treatment, storage, or use as aforesaid are disposed of safely;
(c) to prescribe qualifications of the persons for employment at such premises or places and the regulation of their hours of employment, minimum leave and periodical medical examination;
and the rules may, in particular and without prejudice to the generality of this sub-section, provide for imposing requirements as to the erection or structural alterations of buildings or the carrying out of works.
(2) The Central Government may, as respects the transport of any radioactive substance or any prescribed substance specified by an order issued under this Act as being dangerous to health, make such rules as appear to be necessary to prevent injury being caused by such transport to the health of persons engaged therein and other persons.
(3) Rules made under this section may provide for imposing requirements, prohibitions and restrictions on employers, employed persons and other persons.
(4) Any person authorised by the Central Government under this section, may, on producing, if so required, a duly authenticated document showing his authority, enter at all reasonable hours any premises, or any vehicle, vessel or aircraft for the purpose of ascertaining whether there has been committed, or is being committed, in or in connection with the premises, vehicle, vessel or aircraft, any contravention of the rules made under this section.
(5) In the event of any contravention of the rules made under this section, the Central Government shall have the right to take such measures as it may deem necessary to prevent further injury to persons or damage to property arising from radiation or contamination by radioactive substances including, without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provisions, and to the right to take further action for the enforcement of penalties under section 24, the sealing or premises, vehicle, vessel, or aircraft, and the seizure of radioactive substances and contaminated equipment.
Section 17, The Atomic Energy Act, 1962 (Act 33 of 1962).
Cross-references
Extracted from the operative text of the enactments themselves. Every destination below exists in our corpus.
This section refers to
Made under this section, and citing it
3 instruments state that it was made under this provision — the power to make it comes from here, so a change to any of them changes what this section requires in practice. Newest first.
Questions about Section 17
What does Section 17 of the Atomic Energy Act deal with?
Section 17 of the Atomic Energy Act is headed "Special provisions as to safety". The Central Government may, as regards any class or description of premises or places, being premises, or places, in which radioactive substances are manufactured, produced, mined, treated, stored or used or any radiation generating plant, equipment or appliance is used, make such provision by rules
How do I find court cases under Section 17 of the Atomic Energy Act?
In judgments and charge sheets this section is written several ways, and each form finds a different set of orders. These search the full text of every order eCourtsIndia holds, best matches first: Atomic Energy Act 1962 17, section 17 Atomic Energy Act 1962, section 17 of the Atomic Energy Act. Each opens the full list of orders on eCourtsIndia, where it can be narrowed by court, year and outcome.
What should I read with Section 17 of the Atomic Energy Act, and has it changed?
Its own text turns on section 24 (Offences and penalties), so none of them can safely be read on its own. 3 other provisions in this corpus refer back to it. The rules and notifications made under it are where it actually bites, and there are 3: most recently Atomic Energy (Radiation Protection) Rules, 2004 (2021), then Atomic Energy (Safe disposal of radioactive wastes) Rules, 1987 (2021), and 1 more.
When did Section 17 of the Atomic Energy Act come into force?
Section 17 of the Atomic Energy Act, cited as Atomic Energy Act 1962 17, came into force on 21 Sep 1962, having been enacted on 15 Sep 1962. It is in force as at the date shown on this page.
Other sections of this Act
- 14. Control over production and use of atomic energy695 words
- 11. Compulsory acquisition of prescribed substances, minerals and plants612 words
- 30. Power to make rules474 words
- 3. General powers of the Central Government459 words
- 2. Definitions and interpretation457 words
- 10. Compulsory acquisition of rights to work minerals434 words
Source and method. Compiled from the enactments of Parliament and of the State legislatures as published on India Code, and republished together with commentary and other original matter under section 52(1)(q)(ii) of the Copyright Act, 1957. Structured, cross-referenced and maintained by eCourtsIndia. Text as in force on 17 Oct 2026. This page is not a substitute for legal advice.