What happened on the Ganga in Patna on Makar Sankranti was an avoidable tragedy. This is, however, what plays out everywhere during festivals in India. While the crush of humanity is inevitable a little planning might go a long way in keeping people safer. Of course, the crowd may also be to blame for letting the gung-ho spirit override all safety precautions, but it’s the authorities who must take blame for inadequate safety measures: they are well aware of the festival calendar and had time to prepare and stave off such eventualities. The Bihar tourism department, which made arrangements to ferry people to the riverine kite festival, should have ensured the journey was safe. Lack of exit arrangements was what led to people flocking to private boats to return to the city, especially since it was getting dark.
Greater than the tragedy of lives lost is politicians rushing to express grief and to announce payment of reparations, with the state and Central governments competing on this. The compensatory amounts are a reflection of how cheap lives have become in a country of 1.25 billion. One would rather see a safety fund created out of a percentage of operating expenses, that can be utilised for permanent crowd control arrangements during festivals and special events. To be prepared is the best way to stave off such tragedies, which have become all too predictable.
