The earthquake, followed by the Tsunami in Japan has been devastating. In the words of PM Naoto Kan, Japan is facing the "worst crisis since WWII". Despite extremely strict building norms, over 10,000 people are feared dead.
What initially started as one nuclear power plant shut down, has now (as I write this) extended to three - Fukushima (now in its third day), Onagawa, and Tokay No2 plant. Japan is the only country to have suffered a nuclear explosion. A nuclear power plant in Japan would necessarily have followed the strictest possible building norms. Besides, Japan is anyway an earthquake prone area - and even regular buildings are constructed to withstand the earth shaking. Despite this, nuclear power has again proven to be risky and dangerous.
Imagine the consequences in a country like India - where building norms are generally lax, and casually enforced. Add to that the lack of liability of foreign suppliers, and a high density of human population - with minimal emergency systems - and you get a potent recipe for disaster. Recent reports suggest that the Buoys that were floated as part of India's early warning Tsunami system are already part of the inventory of junk dealers.
Someone needs to ask - do we REALLY need those nuclear reactors - just so that some multinational can grow rich? After the fiasco of the CVC, perhaps this is another policy where the PM needs to admit to the mistake of his decision.
What initially started as one nuclear power plant shut down, has now (as I write this) extended to three - Fukushima (now in its third day), Onagawa, and Tokay No2 plant. Japan is the only country to have suffered a nuclear explosion. A nuclear power plant in Japan would necessarily have followed the strictest possible building norms. Besides, Japan is anyway an earthquake prone area - and even regular buildings are constructed to withstand the earth shaking. Despite this, nuclear power has again proven to be risky and dangerous.
Imagine the consequences in a country like India - where building norms are generally lax, and casually enforced. Add to that the lack of liability of foreign suppliers, and a high density of human population - with minimal emergency systems - and you get a potent recipe for disaster. Recent reports suggest that the Buoys that were floated as part of India's early warning Tsunami system are already part of the inventory of junk dealers.
Someone needs to ask - do we REALLY need those nuclear reactors - just so that some multinational can grow rich? After the fiasco of the CVC, perhaps this is another policy where the PM needs to admit to the mistake of his decision.
1 comment:
The PM will admit to an 'error of judgment' only if the Supreme Court takes his pants off and yet in some media circles it will be hailed as a 'masterstroke'!
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