13.3.11

Japan's nuclear tragedy as opportunism

We told you so. It can affect us. Questions about nuclear power.

This has been the tone of the indepth analyses. Japan’s devastation by earthquake and the tsunami have been submerged beneath the discussions over the Fukushima nuclear plant blowing up and reports of leakage and radiation. As one who is absolutely against a ‘nuclearised’ world, I am afraid that the questions about atomic energy will be relegated to only certain countries in order to keep them in their place.


Even the most powerful nations can go wrong, but before talking about how Japan was told about the possibility of such an outcome given its earthquake-prone history there should have been some introspection. California is prone to quakes and has two nuclear plants; two others were 'retired'. Surely, they have measures to handle an emergency as would Japan.
 
The US administration that is among the first to land with a thud of commentary will not, interestingly enough, desist from providing nuclear energy in small doses at high cost with a lot of hoopla.

The Shiv Sena is also using the Japan incident to oppose the proposed nuclear power plant at Jaitapur, which has a French connection. There is already opposition to it for our own reasons, primarily the taking over of tribal land. By clubbing it with another tragedy, not only will there be foreign expertise involved in its setting up, should it take place, but also to ‘keep an eye on it’ later. This would be damaging at many levels.

I say this to transpose it against the Union Carbide gas leak in Bhopal. Did the world get concerned about how it would affect all of mankind when industrialisation from outside forces without checks and balances has caused greater devastation?

Just wondering…

11 comments:

  1. Hi Farzana,

    I liked the first image you provide . . . airplanes and cars like so much flotsam and jetsam. Elsewhere, I've seen images of steel ships tossed high and dry. All were crafted through the sort of high-torque energy nuclear provides.

    No high-torque energy = no airplanes, cars and ships. The "world" goes back to wooden boats and horse-drawn carriages. The rest of us will walk or be carried by those who can.

    http://nt1.ggpht.com/news/tbn/Fc9skQ1ic9IHbM/1.jpg

    I also liked your "French connection" characterization. High-torque energy certainly is a lot like heroin, isn't it . . .

    Regards,
    Mark

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  2. FV
    Can't agree more on this. I am absolutely against modern, devastating and miserable nuclear world and a new world order.

    circle

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  3. Hi Mark:

    So what did you not like? Isn't that the effect heroin too has - of making you miserable, depressed and paranoid? In the case of high-torque energy, I wonder who suffers from these symptoms, at least some of them. Is it the powers or the invisible victims?

    Thanks for the link to the picture. I have been wondering about the 'carrier's' identity.

    PS: Good to see you back and was looking for your input on an earlier post. I guess, nudity as art/politics has ceased to hold your interest or at least as propounded here. Even so, just thought I'd let you know :)

    Circle:

    A new world order frightens me because it will be dictated by one version. But we can and will oppose such standardisation, will we not?

    PS: Welcome back, although you and whoever is commenting should be saying this to me, for I had stopped the comment facility.

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  4. Farzana,

    I am not liking the aftermath of Bhopal -- the 20K dead -- the residue in the soil affecting subsequent generations -- the 20+ years of "adjudication" -- the corporate shell-game choreographed to shield such "powers" from the consequences of their risky, drug-addled miscalculations. And, while earthquakes and tsunamis are a fact of life and death on this material plane, I am not liking how these same corporate "giants" (nuclear, chemical, biological) compound such consequent loss and misery -- again, through their drug-addled miscalculations. I am most especially not liking the "scientific" community for serving as 'enablers' for these addicts.

    >>I guess, nudity as art/politics has ceased to hold your interest or at least as propounded here.<<

    Not at all. It struck me, however, that I may have become somewhat predictable. :)

    M.

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  5. FV
    As a matter of fact, I always read all your blogs as time permits, but quite oftenly it does. Sometimes I respond and sometimes I don't. So, respond or not respond, I am always around.

    WELCOME BACK to responding zone.

    circle

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  6. Mark:

    I am not liking it, too, which is why I brought it in. However, the possibility of the corporates entering the 'aid' fray even during natural disasters is not uncommon. The isolated people might become double victims.

    PS: Re. nudity/art/politics, predictability is also consistency and steadfastness. Or so I'd like to believe!

    Circle:

    Thanks for being around, just as I am always thinking about what to post even when I am not posting.

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  7. Mark, re UC, I suppose you must have already seen this:

    http://farzana-versey.blogspot.com/2009/12/bhopal-its-all-gas.html

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  8. Yes, I recollect "Bhopal: It's all gas." It came to mind whilst considering your essay above. Not unlike circle, I've been a lurker here on Cross Connections since well before that. I'm not exactly sure how I came across your site originally -- it must have been the poetry. :)

    I too appreciate that you've re-engaged the responding zone.

    >> . . . predictability is also consistency and steadfastness. Or so I'd like to believe!<<

    I'm sure of it; however, there are pros and cons . . .

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  9. Mark:

    I am not liking the smiley after "poetry" :)

    Thanks for being around.

    Re steadfastness and predictability and pros and cons, so long as there aren't conning pros, all's good.

    But seriously, because I had linked the Shanakht painting piece and saw out discussion there, it made me wonder. I was feeling a bit lonely battling Mahesh!

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  10. Onion India - breaking news....
    Japanese Embassy Press Release - Don't screw up guys
    --------------------------------
    The anonymous spokesperson from Japanese Embassy in India today released a press statement mostly amounting to - "OK guys, things can go terribly awry with nuclear power - so follow every safety regulation. Insist that your government makes reactor components accountable. Don't take your skeptics lightly. Jaitapur and Konkan (Maharashtra state ) folks - insist the points raised by your skeptics. We had good social discipline and preparedness - but then shit happens . Are you guys prepared for it ? "
    Cheers,
    Mahesh.
    p.s. : This is what the the average japanese person - in their terribly troublesome situation - would be advising.

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  11. My response, Mahesh:

    Anonymous spokesperson from Indian Embassy in Japan wrote to his counterpart:

    Pliss not to worry. We are screwing and luving it. We also have franchises for it. We are buying land, showing tribals new way to make bun and patty and wear skepticals. We are also having good social discipline because we are democracy and break rules because democracy is like that only. And we are always prepared for shit.We invented it. Read Panini.

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