Comment & Briefs

While earthquake resistant buildings and safety of dams and nuclear plants are important, orderly public behaviour under stress, as demonstrated by the Japanese people, is also vital.

The Prefectures affected the most are Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima and Ibaraki, which represent about 7 per cent of Japan’s economy and house steel plants, oil refineries, nuclear power plants and factories manufacturing parts for cars and electronic goods.

Japan is in a state of panic as the situation in the Fukushima nuclear power plant continues to intensify.

The possibility of situation worsening can not be ruled out. However, it would be counter-productive to create panic by speculating only worst case scenario.

It is vital that the Indian army gets pamphlets and text books that are contemporary and promote awareness of modern research and thought.

The impasse over missile defence, CFE and NATO expansion has led to a stalemate in talks to reduce tactical nuclear weapons.

Internal threats to national security have assumed centre-stage in the debates on Indian security. They have a pan-Indian presence and are no longer confined to India’s north and north-eastern frontiers.

As Japan grapples with a “nuclear emergency situation” a domestic debate has begun about whether a quake -prone country should rely on nuclear power.

Complacency and not following procedures led to the ambush that killed eight BSF personnel in Assam.

The tsunami triggered by the quake swamped Sendai’s coast, picking up cars, ships and houses as it furiously surged three miles inland.