Inferno exposes ineptitude
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, June 24 2014:
Ineptitude, insensitivity and inefficacy of police personnel, general public and Government departments were exposed for one and all to see by the inferno which devastated Major Khul today.
Even as fire tenders rushed within ten minutes after receiving information of the inferno with their sirens blaring, they encountered many formidable difficulties in reaching the spot.
Even as the sirens were blaring incessantly, people showed little sense to move away or make way.
The din was made all the more chaotic with police personnel making no efforts to control the maddening traffic.
The fire tenders reached the blazing fire after much struggle.
Again, fire tenders whose water got exhausted had a hard time to go for re-fill.
Their movement was hampered by traffic.
It was about 90 minutes after the fire broke out that Traffic Police and Police came out to the streets to regulate traffic.
They blocked vehicular traffic at PCTC oil pump and Keishampat.
Only after the vehicular traffic was blocked at these two points, fire tenders could move freely.
Again, on account of the ineptitude on the part of Traffic police and police personnel including IRB and MR while blocking roads or diverting traffic flow, people encountered many difficulties.
As the vehicular traffic coming from northern and eastern directions were blocked at PCTC oil pump, people had a hard time to take U-turn.
It could have been much easier had the traffic been blocked at the North AOC traffic island.
What is more surprising is that no sign of the presence of Disaster Management office could be seen while the inferno devastated large portions of Major Khul.
There was no one to clear the roads ahead of fire tenders.
This is rather puzzling and annoying in view of the large number of security personnel deployed in and around Imphal city.