A public interest litigation petition has sought the shifting of the Nuclear Weapon Development Establishment, situated within the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, from the densely populated Trombay.
 
A division bench of the Bombay high court, comprising Chief Justice Dalveer Bhandari and Justice S A Bobade, on Thursday directed the Central government to file its reply by April 6.
 
'Citizens for a Just Society' stated that BARC was situated on the earthquake zone. In case of any disaster, NWDE would emit nuclear radiations into the environment, which would have harmful effect on the population.
 
The waste disposed in the Thane creek by the nuclear facility contaminated water and affected marine life, including fish, which were consumed by people in the area.
 
The waste cause diseases like cancer, leukemia, stillbirth, deformation and mental retardation, according to the petition.
 
The PIL also urged that the BARC be once again brought under the purview of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board.
 
The BARC was removed from the purview of the AERB in April 2000 when P Chidambaram, the then chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and Secretary of Department of Atomic Energy, declared it as the NWDE.
 
The PIL also sought the appointment of an independent committee to measure the level of radiation in the Thane creek bed, seawater, soil and also in the shore of the creek.