Terrorism

THE Cover Story (Roots of terror, August 29) offered a good analysis of the menace of terrorism.

The modern form of terrorism, which started with the separatist struggle in Kashmir, has spread its tentacles across the length and breadth of the country. It is really a matter of concern that despite being an integral part of India all these years, Jammu and Kashmir still remains away from the mainstream.

Madhukar Mohan Ahmedabad* * *

THE jehadis are responsible for the looming threat of terrorism in most parts of the country. It would be naive to blame suppression by the majority for the rise of Islamist extremism. On the contrary, it arises from the fallacious interpretation of Quranic percepts.

Arvind K. Pandey Allahabad* * *

IF city-dwellers in India have to start looking at bicycles, lunch boxes and plastic bags with fear and suspicion, then the engineers of the serial blasts in Bangalore and Ahmedabad have been successful in their mission. With more than 20 bombs going off in two cities in two days it is difficult to advise people not to panic.

J.S. Acharya Hyderabad* * *

AS pointed out by Bhaskar Ghose in his column (Readiness is all, August 29) security consciousness needs to percolate down to each one of us. Marian Wright Edelman, an American child rights activist, had this to say: The challenge of social justice is to evoke a sense of community that we need to make our nation a better place, just as we make it a safer place. This holds true for todays India.

Dr. Nutan Thakur LucknowNucelar issues

VIJAY PRASHADS recent column on the United States use of nuclear power (Nuclear risks, August 29), particularly the Vermont Yankee plant and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, is replete with errors and incomplete statements.

The NRC places the highest importance on ensuring Vermont Yankee and every other U.S. commercial reactor operates safely. The agency is pro-safety. It has no promotional role.

U.S. plants are safe; even the Three Mile Island accidents radioactive releases into the environment had no detectable effect on public health. And U.S. plant performance has steadily increased for more than a decade.

As for Vermont Yankee, both the NRC and the State of Vermont agree that the plants operation is not affecting the environment.

The NRC continues to actively review Westinghouses proposed amendment to the approved AP1000 design, other reactor designs and nine applications for new reactors. None of these reviews deals with cost estimates; the staff is applying strict crew standards across many scientific disciplines to determine whether utilities can safely build and operate the proposed plants. As with existing reactors, the NRCs focus will always be on maintaining public health and safety.

Scott Burnell Public Affairs Officer Nuclear Regulatory Commission, U.S.

THE author is wrong in stating that after the Three Mile Island (TMI) accident in 1979, the nuclear industry in the U.S. has done little to allay peoples fears. As a matter of fact, the NRC stepped in and each and every plant operating in the country was put under a microscope, and there were thousands of post TMI modifications that were recommended and implemented. Apart from this, the Institute of Nuclear Power Operation was formed by the nuclear industry for self-assessment of the operation of the nuclear power plants. It has formulated strict rules. The plants are graded by institute and its ratings are considered prestigious.

Tanvir Salim Massachusetts, U.S.Land for Dalits

IT is shocking to know that even today, deacades after the abolition of untouchability in any form, we still have places like Ittikkal Agaram in Tamil Nadu where the landless and poor members of the lower castes are fighting to get the land they had been allotted by pre-Independence governments (A land struggle, August 29). I think it is time we put an end to Dalits plight.

Amitabh Thakur LucknowZimbabwe

IT was most refreshing to read John Cherians well-researched article One-horse race (August 1). Unfortunately, when it comes to Zimbabwe we see too much hand-me-down journalism that issues from the rabid anti-Mugabe (read anti-land reform) Western propaganda mill.

The writers incisive grasp of the real issues, therefore, comes as a breath of fresh air, and reassures us that not all members of the fourth estate in countries of the South have fallen under the evil spell of neocolonialists.

Jonathan Wutawunashe Ambassador of Zimbabwe to India New Delhi

ANNOUNCEMENT

Letters, whether by surface mail or e-mail, must carry the full postal address and the full name, or the name with initials.