Ill prepared to deal with emergencies : Unwanted presence of VVIPs
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: June 26 , 2014 -

Fire at Majorkhul, Imphal-West, Manipur on 24 June 2014 :: Pix - David M Mayum

The anguish and sense of helplessness on the face of Chief Minister O Ibobi was clearly visible as he watched the raging inferno sweeping across Majorkhul on June 24.

We are more than certain that many would also share his anguish over the tragedy.

But should it begin and end here ?

Time for the political leaders and the Babudom to put on their thinking cap and understand how ill prepared is the State in meeting emergency situation.

Time also to study the response of the Government agencies in dealing with the situation as well as the insensitivity of the public at large.

With motorists not bothering to give the right of way to the fire tenders, the fire brigade personnel reached the site of the inferno later than sooner.

Moreover it was only after about 90 minutes that police personnel came out to regulate the traffic and ensure free movement of the fire tenders.

A sure shot case of a Government and its agencies unable to think or to put it more crudely use their grey cells.

While the concern of the Chief Minister and other VIPs is understandable, it absolutely made no sense for them to rush to the site for reasons which we will enumerate here.

In the first place, the arrival of the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, Speaker and other VIPs to the site of the inferno meant extra traffic on the road, adding to the chaos and confusion.

Moreover a good number of policemen and others who should be extending help to the fire brigade personnel in combating the fire, had the double task of ensuring the safety and security of the VVIPs who had arrived there.

An indication that the political leadership of the State just do not have the intelligence to understand that their presence in such an emergency situation can only hamper the rescue work, rather than help.

The Chief Minister and the others could have monitored the situation and keep themselves updated in their respective offices.

Instead what the people witnessed was the VVIPs arriving at the scene of the inferno with their blazing sirens and cavalcade, making vehicular movement all that more chaotic and hampering the rescue work of the fire brigade personnel.

That it took about 90 minutes for the cops to realise the gravity of the situation and stop /divert traffic near the PCTC oil pump and Keishampat is a true reflection of how ill prepared is the State Government in dealing with disasters such as the inferno that swept through the crowded Majorkhul.

In as much as the public showed their insensitivity in not giving free passage to the fire tenders, it is also time for the Traffic Police to start ‘thinking’.

Many months back, The Sangai Express had carried a dry photo of the road in front of Mapal Kangjeibung choc-a-bloc with taxi autos. Now this is the road that the fire brigade personnel have to take whenever a fire breaks out.

What is the rationale of diverting the taxi autos towards the narrow road which the fire brigade has to take whenever any emergency arises ? The arrangement still continues.

A clear case of poverty of ideas and imagination made worse by lethargic minds which refuse to address issues which are of importance for the safety of the public.

Such an approach or mindset renders the right of way given to ambulances carrying sick and ailing people and the fire brigade meaningless and redundant.

Sure narrow roads are an obstacle while dealing with emergency situation such as the inferno that swept across Majorkhul, but the Government needs to look beyond.

The Government needs to look beyond land acquisition to widen roads. The focus should be on how well prepared are the agencies which are there to deal with emergency situations.

And certainly we do not need VVIPs crowding the site of an inferno, for they do nothing except add to the traffic congestion and add to the burden of the security personnel who should be doing the job of aiding the fire brigade personnel.

Maybe the time has come for the doctor to prescribe a crash course on how to respond to emergency situation, not only for the agencies concerned, but for the political leaders of the State too.