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Deep trenches dug right in the middle of the road and left without any warning signs pose a hazard to pedestrians, writes Pushpa Girimaji There was an interesting report in a newspaper recently. Two Indian executives working for a joint venture company in Turkey were jailed and faced imprisonment between four and 10 years after two kids drowned in a trench dug by the company. The trenches had been dug for laying crude oil pipelines and as a safety requirement, barricaded and marked. But subsequently, heavy rains filled the trenches and could not be drained. The company even held safety sessions with the villagers and warned children about the trench, but despite that two kids drowned while playing there following which the court sentenced a construction manager and deputy health and safety manager to imprisonment. Compare this with what happens in India. Deep pits and trenches are dug right in the middle of pavements and roads and left without a thought to the dangers they pose. No barricades are erected around the area to prevent a accidental fall nor warning lights put up to keep away pedestrians from the pits. During monsoon, the pits get filled up with water and turn into death traps. Open manholes and drains too take a heavy toll during the season. A few months ago, a 17-year-old boy in Bangalore met a tragic end as the civic authorities had not bothered to do a pre-monsoon check and cover all open manholes. In the heavy downpour, the manhole was filled with water and the gushing waters sucked him in even as he stepped on it. Last year a 16-year-old boy drowned in an uncovered drain in Delhi. Similarly, at regular intervals, one sees reports of men and women, and even animals, getting electrocuted from live wires left carelessly hanging from poles by power supply undertakings. But one never hears of those responsible for such acts being punished. In a few cases, the family wages a long legal battle and gets a few lakh as compensation but those responsible for the tragedy are not identified at all. The death of six children trapped in silt deposits near a lake in Ahmedabad on November 24 is a classic case of such callous disregard for public safety. As part of a de-silting drive, the silt had been dredged from a lake, but the silt deposits had been left carelessly without any barricade to prevent children from going there. A month ago, two children had died in similar circumstances. In the Turkey case, the company not only barricaded the area and put up caution boards but also held ‘safety sessions’ with the villagers. Such safety measures were taken as the company was aware of the consequences of negligence. But obviously, even that was not enough and the company and its executives had to pay for it. If we want to ensure safety in public places, prevent accidents caused by callous negligence to public safety, we must identify and hold those responsible for such accidents accountable. As citizens we must demand extensive safety regulations for all public places. Whether it is the municipal corporation or a private company, senior officials should be in charge of public safety and whenever it is breached, they must be held accountable. |
