Duration of implementation of measures for relocation of residents of settlements of the Techa River basin and territories of the East Ural Radioactive Trace

Relocation is a long-term radiation protection measure for the population of radioactively contaminated territories to prevent chronic exposure. The first experience of forced relocation of the population of radioactively contaminated territories took place in the USSR in the middle of the last century. The justification for such a radical protective measure is actively debated in the scientific literature. However, scientific research is more focused on the search for reasonable dose criteria and ways to optimise the resources needed to implement this protective measure. The question of the duration of measures for the resettlement of inhabitants from contaminated areas is poorly addressed. The aim of the study is to characterise the implementation of measures for the relocation of inhabitants of settlements of the Techa River basin and territories of East Ural Radioactive Trace. Materials and Methods: The main source of information on exposed inhabitants of radioactively contaminated territories of the Ural region is the medical-dosimetric database. Results and Discussion: For two radiation situations the conditions of relocation of settlements were analysed and compared. The implementation of measures for the relocation of the residents of the coastal settlements of the Techa River took eight years, and the actual relocation (excluding the preparatory period) of the residents lasted from two to four years. The agricultural settlement (Farm of Trust № 92) took longer to resettle of all the relocated settlements in the area. The relocation of the residents of the settlements located on the territory of the East Urals Radioactive Trace was carried out in a shorter period of time. At the same time, protective measures such as evacuation (lasted several days) and planned resettlement (lasted up to two years) were implemented. Conclusion: The implementation of the measures for the planned relocation of the population from the territory of the East Ural Radioactive Trace differed from the implementation of the measures for the relocation of the inhabitants of the settlements located on the Techa River - the duration of the actual relocation of the inhabitants from the contaminated territories of the East Ural Radioactive Trace did not exceed two years, and from the coastal territories of the Techa River - four years. The evacuation took several days.