NATURAL DISASTER-Twisted Tale

Twisted Tale THE endeavour to protect itself against nature's vagaries is humankind's very first and ongoing project. Or so it should be. But neither independent India's planners nor its extensive and well-entrenched scientific establishment have ever given sufficient attention to this project. While the meteorological department and its associated wings have received sustenance, their growth has been, one would aver, almost entirely in the direction of strengthening metropolitan facilities, that is in terms of infrastructure and equipment which afford career opportunities to scientists. If a little more attention had been paid to strengthening the local level network of meteorological facilities, would the tornado which struck parts of West Bengal and Orissa early this week have caused such devastation?.