Date:26/11/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/11/26/stories/2006112608260500.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Anantapur

Religious conflicts threatening mankind: APPSC Chairman

Staff Reporter

`Fighting in the name of God, whom nobody had seen, is meaningless'

Differences among religions weakening society

Political parties trying to cash in on the situation

CALL TO INTROSPECT: APPSC Chairman Y. Venkatarami Reddy speaking at an international seminar on natural disasters at Sri Krishnadevaraya University at Anantapur on Saturday.

ANANTAPUR: Chairman of Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) Y. Venkatarami Reddy has observed that a new universal disaster of infighting among different groups in religions and clash among religions is much more threatening to the mankind than natural and man-made disasters.

Speaking as the chief guest at the inaugural session of a three-day international seminar on `Natural Hazards and Disasters: Local to Global Perspectives' on the campus of Sri Krishnadevaraya University (SKU) here on Saturday, he said fighting in the name of God, whom nobody had seen was meaningless.

The differences between the religions were weakening the society and the political parties were trying to cash-in on sentiments, Prof. Reddy felt.

Turning to disasters he said major disasters were occurring due to seismic activity, cyclones and drought conditions. Though management of quakes was an established practice, it was not being adopted in the country. Though the impact of drought was most dreadful, it was easiest to manage, he said. He urged geographical scientists to find out ways to minimise the impact of disasters and take them to the people who were in need of them. Managing disasters

In the keynote address, Prof. P.P. Karan of University of Kentucky identified awareness, multi-hazard comprehensive planning, transportation and clear identification of risk factors as the four key aspects of managing disasters efficiently.

President of the Indian Geographical Society K. Devarajan said prevention and mitigation were two major aspects of disaster management.

Vice-Chancellor of SKU A. Rama Rao said the onus was on the scientific community to find methods of prevention of disasters.

Rector C. R. Visveswar Rao, Registrar R. Ramakrishna Reddy, Head of Geography Department A. Krishna Kumar, convenor K. Ravindra Reddy also spoke.

Foreign delegates from 16 institutions in US, UK, Japan, Australia, Serbia, Nigeria, Iran, Kenya, Fiji Islands and Turkey were also here to participate in the seminar.