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Friday, Jan 28, 2005

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AN AVOIDABLE TRAGEDY

THE DEATH OF 258 men, women, and children after a stampede at the Kalubai temple at Mandradevi near Satara, Maharashtra, on January 25 was not just tragic; it was entirely avoidable. The shocking event exemplifies the continuing failure of authorities to anticipate problems when a large number of people come together, particularly for a religious occasion. The Kalubai temple, which attracts thousands of pilgrims every year around this time, is located on a hillock. A narrow path leads to the temple ending up in steep stone steps. That alone suggests that at the time of a "jatra", when thousands of people congregate, the local authorities and the trust that manages the temple should regulate the human traffic. They should also ensure that the already congested approach is not made narrower by scores of stalls that are set up to sell flowers, prasad and foodstuff. Also, there has to be a public address system in place to direct people.

None of these precautions was taken. Over three lakh people converged on the Kalubai temple on that Tuesday, considered auspicious because it was a full moon night. No one directed the movement of pilgrims up or down the steep path. Many of the women were carrying "palkhis" on their heads. Small children, mostly girls, accompanied the women. Also, according to reports, there was no one guiding people as they approached the temple and broke coconuts on the steps. Given the crush of people and the slippery steps, this was an accident waiting to happen. It would have been a miracle if panic had not set in when the first few people slipped on the steps and fell on others making their way up. The crisis was compounded by the over 300 stalls that made the pathway even more cramped. What is worse, many of these stalls had gas cylinders. When angry pilgrims set some of these stalls on fire, dozens of cylinders exploded resulting in a raging fire. At this point, some of the panic could have been controlled if there had been a public address system and an adequate number of police personnel. But there was no PA system and according to reports, there were just 200 policemen to manage such enormous numbers. The fact that such a tragedy did not occur in any of the previous years is merely fortuitous.

This is not the first such incident during a religious festival. Two years ago during the Kumbh Mela at Nashik, 39 people died as a result of a stampede. Then, as now, the police did not manage properly the entry and exit of people through a narrow passage, resulting in panic. The absence of even basic crowd control methods at Mandradevi suggests that the district authorities in Satara were inexcusably complacent. They must be asked on what basis did they permit stalls with inflammable substances along the narrow access route and why could they rustle up no more than 200 policemen to control over three lakh people. While the Maharashtra Government has set up a judicial inquiry, this is hardly enough. Each time such fatalities occur, an inquiry is instituted. But the reports lie gathering dust. No lessons are learnt. It is imperative that this tragedy results in the institution of a proper plan to manage not just the next Kalubai Jatra but all such pilgrimages. Also, temple trusts, such as the one at Mandradevi, should be asked to invest in improving facilities for pilgrims who have always been generous with their contributions.

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