Tuesday, June 23, 1998
Beyond the calamity code
We have a fairly detailed drill for handling natural calamities. Most flood, drought or cyclone-affected areas go through mock action plans related to possible "expected" events. For agromet regions (somewhat large areas) such "expectations" can, in fact, be statistically estimated. When such events occur, two features lend urgency to the crisis.
Psychological boost
Coming on the heels of US economic sanctions, the Indo-Russian deal for a 2,000 MW nuclear power plant is a big psychological boost for India. The deal has been presented as a supplement to the Rajiv Gandhi-Mikhail Gorbachev agreement of 1988. As such it cannot be said to go against Russian undertakings in 1992 not to export nuclear technology to countries with unsafeguarded nuclear facilities in which category India falls.
Paying for prejudice
A prominent member of the Sri Lankan cricket team once confessed to friends that his greatest fear was being declared Man of the Match because he would then have to face Ian Chappell for the customary television interview in English. His dilemma is one that is being faced by hundreds of thousands of Sri Lankan youths who have become victims of the 1956 `Sinhala Only' policy implemented by short-sighted leaders who saw in it an opportunity for political gain in a situation of worsening ethnic tensions.
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