This refers to the news report “Japan grapples with nuclear crisis” (March 15). The world has been showing pedestrian apathy towards man-made tragedies. So there is a need to analyse how much of the devastation and risks arising from nuclear radiation could be avoided if only the greed of the rich and powerful to fast-track their celebrations of life was controlled. Such introspection should include the following:
(i) A review of the present stock of nuclear arsenal with various countries vis-a-vis their likely use and possibility of reducing it to an acceptable (read manageable) level;
(ii) safety measures to prevent potential threats including radioactive leaks from the present stock of nuclear arsenal; and
(iii) chances of total nuclear disarmament.
The present crisis has shown how helpless modern science is before the devastation caused by nature. A compromise with nature is the need of the hour, even if it means reducing the extra comforts of life that money has been bringing.
M G Warrier, Thiruvananthapuram
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