Saturday, September 11, 2010

Yet another mishap, no long lasting solution


The news that scores of people died in a mishap when a bus plunged into a river caused by strong current of rains water on a culvert near Khategaon (Madhya Pradesh) shook me badly. People are impatient but it's surprising that they get impatient even in the face of vagaries of nature.

The bus driver in the spur of moment decided to go ahead to cross the culvert submerged in the water after stopping and waiting for sometime for the water level to recede. Some passengers, as was reported later, even dissuaded the driver from crossing the river. But the driver, obviously, paid no heed to their advice and thus killed so many people aboard.

It was a co-incidence that when a good number of people were swept away by the strong current of a river at Dharaji in Dewas a few years back it was a local festival day on day of Amavasya (zenith of dark nights) and when this fresh incident occured it was again an Amavasya day and most of people on the ill fated bus were returning home after having a bath in a river.

What I have observed whenever there is such a situation we the passengers don't muster courage to force the driver to listen to us. Out voice is, often, feeble vis-à-vis the driver's decision and voice, for in some way or the other we also like the driver's imprudent decision in a hurry to reach home or other destination.

I am not surprised that bus was running without permit and fitness certificate. Suspension of an official or two is not going to serve any purpose. It reflects the ad-hocism only on the government's part, which shies away from taking a stringent action against the officials who allow running of such vehicles.

Fitness certificate or the vehicles or permits apart, what about the drivers. Do we have a system in place which allows people with sound mind only to drive the vehicles. While boarding the bus or train do we know if the driver is mentally and physically fit enough to run the vehicles. Is there any system which even randomly check the state of mind or physical condition of the drivers.

Hence, we will continue to hear of such incidents in future too. The government will continue to hold inquiries and announce ex-gratia relief to the family members of the dead and also financial assistance to the injured. some knee-jerk reaction will unsettle some in government but there will hardly any long lasting solution.