Indian Express 07.12.2009
Chandigarh still awaits a disaster management plan
The city has witnessed a number of major tragedies in the past, but the Administration has failed to learn any lesson-the much-touted disaster management plan is still not in place.
After every incident, there’s a lot of noise about the need to have a disaster management plan to ensure coordinated rescue operations. But it seems many more lives will be lost before the Administration wakes up. Newsline lists major tragedies in the city.
Sector-22 fire:
4 dead
In April this year, four lives were lost in a major fire in Sector-22 market. Shop owners had rued that the rescue team took a long time to reach the spot. Fire tenders had a tough time reaching the spot due to the haphazard parking.
Not much has changed in the market since the incident. In case of a similar tragedy, rescue will again be a problem.
Sector-26 Grain Market mishap:
2 dead
In 2007, shed of the Grain Market in Sector 26 collapsed. Rescue operation could be carried out only after the Army intervened. The Administration and the Engineering department did not have a blueprint of the building.
Dhanas Nullah overflow:
1 dead
In 2008, a person fell in the overflowing nullah during the monsoons. Rescue team that reached the site did not have the necessary equipment. As a result, rescue went on for hours. And the person, who struggled for a long time in the nullah, died.
After the Dhanas mishap, a committee under the chairmanship of the Deputy Commissioner was constituted to deal with such incidents. But till date, nothing has been heard from the committee.
Officials shirk responsibility
After the incident, officials of the Administration and the Municipal Corporation were busy shifting the blame.
Municipal Commissioner Dr Roshan Sunkaria said: “The Municipal Corporation is concerned with fire and emergency services. The disaster management plan is to be prepared by the Deputy Commissioner.”
After receiving the information, our team was the first to reach the spot. The entire staff was there,” he added.
Deputy Commissioner Brijendra Singh, on the other hand, said, “There is a disaster management plan in place. All the departments — the police, doctors or the machinery needed — were at the site as soon as the information reached.”
