Stirred and shaken

The four light-intensity tremors that shook a sleeping Delhi on Tuesday were not so mild for Finance Minister P Chidambaram's office in North Block, part of the century-old British-era red sandstone complex that houses several significant ministries. The false ceiling in the finance minister's office collapsed and some concrete fell in a room nearby that is occupied by his staff. Given the advanced hour, however, no one was in the office to sustain injuries but it is worth wondering whether the incident is a reflection of the state of the economy, since no damage was reported elsewhere.