No terrorist attack, no natural calamity, no Korean Nukes but 74 people including 25 children died due to collapse of an engineering miracle. Surely, it was an engineering miracle - seven storey building constructed in two months under an invisible cloak, which is why no one from local municipality and police could notice it. The deceased are mostly poor daily wagers working at the construction site and their families. Of course, we are a nation of 1.2 Billion (frankly lost the count, because it is pointless to remember it now), and we won’t be missing these not so necessary souls. Some cooperators, directors of the municipalities, cops and builders will get arrested, remanded, paraded in a mockery of court room sittings and then finally getting discharged on 500 rupees surety bonds. In a matter of another 48 hours the dead will die a death for ever. The news papers which printed the story in Headlines on Friday, will soon cover our kitchen shelves or clean the aftermath of a ejaculation.
Parliament attack 2001, a dozen died and the Army mobilized for another war, matter taken up in UN, national anger and millions spent beefing up security for MPs. 26/11 Mumbai, 164 died including 10 terrorists and thousands of riche riches discomforted because they could not enjoy their nightlife. Again Army mobilized, Pak militancy fostering raised in the highest levels of diplomacy, and once again millions spent on enhancing the security of the secured ones. There is no parallel between these two incidents and the Thane Building collapse, rather there is contrast; contrast of poor Vs the rich, terrorism Vs corruption.
So, how can we device a calibration to weight the cost of a human life and a commensurate response? Unfortunately there is no such index, and if one could invent, then definitely it would be the highest earning patent. These news excerpts gain our momentous sympathy, and later get lost. In fact none of us would even follow the outcome. Here are some more stories, though not associated with Thane incident, but we conveniently choose to ignore.
13 killed in Pune building collapse. Read more here.
Two dead, many injured in Delhi building collapse. read the full details here. More horror stories here.
This is not a neglect of our pre-occupation or busy life, it is a neglect of interest. If the same story read, “Salman’s New House Collapses – 74 Dead”, actions and reflections would have been different. Media would have visited the house of each dead in remotest corner of Bengal, UP, Bihar and Maharastra, and asked the same brainless question from their relatives, “Aap ko kaisa lag raha hae”.
This is our resilience, complaisance or immunity, and it will further catalyze numerous such more incidents, unless we ask ourselves….
Parliament attack 2001, a dozen died and the Army mobilized for another war, matter taken up in UN, national anger and millions spent beefing up security for MPs. 26/11 Mumbai, 164 died including 10 terrorists and thousands of riche riches discomforted because they could not enjoy their nightlife. Again Army mobilized, Pak militancy fostering raised in the highest levels of diplomacy, and once again millions spent on enhancing the security of the secured ones. There is no parallel between these two incidents and the Thane Building collapse, rather there is contrast; contrast of poor Vs the rich, terrorism Vs corruption.
So, how can we device a calibration to weight the cost of a human life and a commensurate response? Unfortunately there is no such index, and if one could invent, then definitely it would be the highest earning patent. These news excerpts gain our momentous sympathy, and later get lost. In fact none of us would even follow the outcome. Here are some more stories, though not associated with Thane incident, but we conveniently choose to ignore.
13 killed in Pune building collapse. Read more here.
Two dead, many injured in Delhi building collapse. read the full details here. More horror stories here.
This is not a neglect of our pre-occupation or busy life, it is a neglect of interest. If the same story read, “Salman’s New House Collapses – 74 Dead”, actions and reflections would have been different. Media would have visited the house of each dead in remotest corner of Bengal, UP, Bihar and Maharastra, and asked the same brainless question from their relatives, “Aap ko kaisa lag raha hae”.
This is our resilience, complaisance or immunity, and it will further catalyze numerous such more incidents, unless we ask ourselves….
- What should be the scale to decide the hullabaloo and public clamour for an incident and necessary corrective measures?
- It is an open secret that any builder, not only builders of high rise buildings but even individual constructing small houses, have to pay unofficial fees, to municipal officials, to get permission for their buildings' approval. What can be done to streamline the whole procedure?
- What should be the punishment for open defiance of Government’s rules and regulations? Why is this not “Culpable homicide amounting to murder”?
- Who all should be held responsible for this?
- Why do we have reactive attitude and not a pro-active approach? Do we have to wait for loss of lives to act?
Think India, THINK !!!
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