Friday, October 2, 2009

Series of tremors warn of a devastating quake: Seismologists

A
series of six tremors of moderate to severe intensity within a month in the Northeast has led seismological experts to warn of an earthquake in the region.

Noted scientist Prof S K Sarmah, who has conducted intensive research on the seismological trends in the Northeast, said studies on earthquake patterns indicated that strain had been building up in some parts of the region.
He said there was probability of an earthquake of a greater magnitude.

The region was jolted by six earthquakes of varying intensities during August-September. The first occurred on August 11 with a magnitude of 4.8 on the Richter Scale followed by another the next day with intensity of 5.6.

On August 19, another quake struck with the magnitude of 4.9 on the Richter Scale followed by another on August 31 with 5.3 intensity. On September 21, a 6.3 intensity quake struck the region followed by another early next day recording 5.7 on the Richter Scale.

"There is anomalous variation of compressional wave velocity ratio with time in the region and the number of small magnitude earthquakes are increasing while larger magnitudes are decreasing," he explained.

EC should decide action under anti-defection law: Sangma

T
he authority to decide action under the anti-defection law against legislators should be vested in the Election Commission rather than the speaker as is the practice now, former Lok Sabha speaker PA Sangma said on Thursday.

Addressing a press conference in Itanagar the NCP general secretary said efforts were on to reach a consensus among political parties before bringing an amendment to the anti-defection law.

Sangma said he expressed his views as a member of the drafting committee under the chairmanship of Pranab Mukherjee.

He expressed the hope that there would be consensus and an amendment to the existing law would be brought before the Parliament soon. "The law in the present form is being misused."

Sangma was referring to defection of several MLAs, including two of the NCP, to ruling Congress in the outgoing state assembly in Arunachal Pradesh.