STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: A function to commemorate World Hiroshima Day was organised at ASCOMS here on Saturday.
Dr. Arun Mitra, National Vice President, IDPD and Board Member International Physicians for Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) was the Chief Guest while Dr. S.S Soodan, National President IDPD and Advisor ASCOMS was the Guest of Honour and Director Principal, ASCOMS, Dr Pavan Malhotra presided over.
Dr Mehvish Khan made an elaborate presentation on the adversities of nuclear weapons.
Dr Arun, in his address, said two tiny atomic bombs (as per the standards of the present day nuclear weapons) killed around 1,40,000 people in Hiroshima and nearly 70,000 in Nagasaki in Japan in 1945. “Roughly half of these deaths in each city occurred on the first day. Out of 300 doctors 272 died, 1,684 of 1,780 nurses died and 42 of 45 hospitals were destroyed. There was complete lack of medical care. High doses of radiation added to the woes,” he added.
“It is assumed that at present there are nearly 17,000 nuclear weapons in the world, which are enough to destroy all the flora and fauna several times over. A hypothetical study named ‘Bombing Bombay’ by M.V Ramana, a physicist who works at the Nuclear Futures Laboratory and the Programme on Science and Global Security, Princeton University, revealed that even a small bomb, such as the one used in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, would kill from 1,50,000 to 8,00,000 people and upto 20 lakh people would be injured. Besides this there would be large amount of collateral damage causing chaos all around. The radiation effect will last for many years to come,” he mentioned.
“In this context, the Governments of India and Pakistan are urged to join the United Nations Treaty to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading towards their total elimination,” he asserted.
It is with this aim that the 22nd World Congress of IPPNW is being held at York in UK from 3rd to 7th September. A, 62 members delegation from India will participate there. 7 delegates from J and K including Dr. S.S Soodan (President IDPD), Dr. R.K Chrangoo, Supriya Saaproo, Dr. Sonali Sharma, Apoorva Malhotra, Mahin Samad and Jasleen Kaur will deliberate and contribute in the academic session.
The function was organised under the supervision of Dr. Neera Bhargava, Assistant Prof Department of Paediatrics, who also presented vote of thanks.
