Learning from tragedies

While the patients in the hospital were hoping to get well and return back to their homes, a fire engulfs them. The news report said that about 90 people died in the fire accident in AMRI hospital in Kolkata. The injured and who inhaled smoke may have lifelong traumatic diseases. Some compare this incident with the Uphaar movie theatre tragedy that happened in Delhi in 1997. Media attention was there as it the number of deaths were huge and it happened in a metropolitan city. There are many minor accidents that happen every day with fewer deaths or injury and but they are not headlines.

Unfortunately, Indian media is yet to mature to provide perspective to tragic issues. Accidents, disasters, calamities are reported sensationally. As quickly as it is reported, it is quickly forgotten. Media is unable to create debate that would lead to awareness among people and change in the situation.

The idea of justice to the perished, injured and maimed is rooted in vengeance. The media, lacking perspective just raises the issue: Will someone punished for this tragedy? For media, it is just a blame game. The culprit should be punished. However, the punishment would be according to the law of the land. The media generally states that the quantum of punishment does not match the gravity of the crime. The same 'pet' analysis of media is repeated in every tragedy. For example: Uphaar theatre tragedy or the Bhopal gas tragedy.

Immediately after any tragedy, emotions run high. There would be near and dear ones who could not understand or fathom the sudden loss, tend to be emotional in their responses. Media, just reflect the emotions in their news coverings. There is no sane input from the media or the Government.

Now, they like to create a villain from the situation who could be punished. In India, in most structures of the institutions (Government or private) there is no well – defined responsibility of people manning various levels. Passing the buck is easy. But, there is a quest to blame someone. For example, in the Uphaar tragedy, the owners of the theatre became villains. The role of the Government officials who gave permission for the construction and various agencies that approved water or electricity supply to the building were just ignored. The lack of policy or its implementation also was considered in the debates and discussion. In the same way for the Bhopal gas tragedy, quest for arresting elusive Anderson, an American citizen was hogged the headlines. There were none who spoke about the political leaders who were complacent and gave permission for the plant, officials of the industries department, and even the management of the factory who were negligent.

Instead of learning lessons and work towards future, the media and government is obsessed in the past. The Media wants to blame somebody, while the Government wants to escape the blame. In the whole process, no one seems to learn lesson and formulate policies and safety measures for the future.

In the AMRI hospital incident, two young female nurses from Kerala died while evacuating and saving the patients. The good shepherd dies for the sheep, the false shepherds run away. Many doctors and nurses ran away leaving the patients at the mercy of fire and smoke. There was no code of conduct or human values or basic ethics in the attitude and working of these medical professionals. Should these medical professionals be punished? There is no debate or discussion on this issue.

The guards failed to inform the Fire department as in a previous occasion one guard was punished for calling fire department officials. The management of AMRI was upset that the Fire officials wanted to inspect the fire safety measures of the building. So, the guards were more worried about their own survival rather than safety and survival of hundreds of patients. Should the management be punished for wrong HR policy of punishing an honest guard?

The civil society has to be proactive in areas like this. Unfortunately, the civil society movements are negatively oriented and make hate as mobilization tool. Anti-corruption movement became anti-politician movement. Instead, such movements should have positive agenda like honesty in public life or transparency in public life. And it should demand transparency and honesty from its own volunteers and from the society later. For example, it should call upon the volunteers to stop the practice of dowry as the transaction happens in cash, which is mostly black money. Such small actions would give moral authority for such civil movements.

Lessons for future
First, safety thinking should be pervasive in all projects. Many times, safety of people are ignored for no reason. How many major roads have pedestrian over bridge in the cities? While planning roads and highways, there is no consideration of safety of people, the pedestrians. Similarly, there is no safety attitude in planning living apartments; commercial establishments, public utility buildings like shopping complexes or malls or marriage halls and Government buildings.

Second, there is need for safety norms mandated by the Government. In many States the mandatory requirements are codified, however, not implemented. The buildings without safety norms are approved or built deviating from the original plan. Corruption, nepotism and political pressure are some of the reasons for violation of building norms.

Third, lack of awareness in the minds of people is another drawback. Patients who were paying Rs. 9000 plus per day for the private rooms in the AMRI hospital did not bother to demand amenities or safety norms from the hospital management. They were paying such huge amount expecting safe hygienic environment and best possible treatment. The people who were paying for services did not demand optimum services.

Four, the CEO of the organization or institution takes the moral responsibility and the local unit manager has to take the blame. This is possible, only when there is a clear job description and accountability at all levels of management.

Five, instead of braying for the blood; the media and civil society should work with future orientation recommending changes that is needed for the emerging environments.

Let us examine:
Has the Uphaar tragedy taught India to implement fire safety norms? Instead, there are voices that demands vengeance in the name of justice by seeking maximum punishment for theatre owners. AMRI tragedy would not have happened if we had learnt lessons from Uphaar tragedy. Learning lessons from history makes us progressive or else we would continue to repeat history again and again until we learn our lessons. Have we learnt lessons from frequent floods in Assam? Cyclones in Andhra and Orissa? Pedestrian deaths and road accidents in several parts of India? Has industrial safety lessons been learnt from Bhopal gas tragedy? Instead of learning and re-ordering our lives, we sink in fatalism.