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ARTICLE : Administrative callousness - the Amarnath tragedy
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To: SRH <ghen@netcom.com>
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Subject: ARTICLE : Administrative callousness - the Amarnath tragedy
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From: ashok <ashokvc@giasbm01.vsnl.net.in>
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Date: Fri, 20 Sep 96 18:08:39 PDT
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Title : Administrative callousness - the Amarnath tragedy
Author : Jagmohan
Publication : The Times of India
Date : September 20, 1996
While speaking in Parliament on August 29, on the tragedy
en route the holy cave of Amarnath (August 21-25), I
asked Home Minister Indrajit Gupta whether Government had
any department or cell dealing with disaster prepared-
ness, mitigation and management. Responding to this
question, the Home Minister, on the following day, said:
"There is nothing there... I do not know if there was any
disaster management. I agree that we are backward in all
these things."
>From the Home Minister's reply, it is clear that neither
the Central Government nor the State Government is suffi-
ciently aware of the importance of the concept of dis-
aster prediction and preparedness. Unfortunately, the
culture of prevention and promptitude has yet to become a
part of our polity and administration.
Since 1972, the UN has been urging the member states to
set up regular disaster preparedness units as a part of
the government machinery. To bring home the gravity of
the problem, the UN office concerned has, from time to
time, been publishing relevant data. A recent publica-
tion has revealed that, during the period 1970-1990,
three million people died of natural disaster and about
one billion, that is, about 20 per cent of the world
population, suffered displacement.
To arouse greater awareness of the problem and promote
national action for disaster preparedness, the world body
has declared 1990s as the International Decade for Natu-
ral Disaster Reduction and also designated the second
Wednesday of October every year as the International Day
for 'natural disaster reduction'.
India is a party to all the UN decisions and declarations
on the subject. But, as is clear from the Amarnath
tragedy, it has not put its commitment to practice. This
assertion is confirmed by other recent tragedies, like
those of Haridwar and Ujjain.
Experience all over the world shows that the nations
which are vigilant are able to mitigate losses, while
those casual in their approach pay a very heavy price.
For example, the average Japanese disaster kills 63
people, while in Peru, disaster of the same magnitude
takes as many as 2,900 lives. In 1974, a hurricane in
Honduras caused the death of 4,000 people. A similar
hurricane in Australia killed only 49 persons. In 1975,
on being warned by the Chinese seismologists about the
likelihood of earthquake in Lianing province, the author-
ities took prompt and effective action to secure full
evacuation of the population from Haicheng and other
towns a few hours before the earthquake reduced the
entire area into a rubble. Thousands of certain deaths
were thus prevented.
Visualisation of hazards, a contingency plan to face them
and swift action to put the plan in operation would have
certainly lessened the misfortune that befell the Amar-
nath yatris and mitigated the impact of the disaster.
Heavy rains and sudden hostility of the nature are not
unusual in this area. In fact, its vulnerability to
freakish weather is well known. It was our culture of
casualness that was the real culprit.
In the entire complex from Pahalgam to the holy cave,
what is required is not only short-term measures but also
a long-term strategy that, besides providing effective
protection to the yatris, makes full use of its unmatched
beauty and cultural assets. I can say with a fair degree
of confidence that there is no other place which is as
enchanting and elevating as the route from Chandanwari to
the holy cave. It is littered with signs and symbols of
Indian history, culture and mythology which have a kind
of indescribable beauty and a heavenly halo around them.
Here, one feels the 'perpetual presence of the sublime'
and realises that "truth, goodness and beauty are the
faces of the same All".
During the Governor's rule, in August-September, 1986, I
travelled to the holy cave with a group of officers with
a view to formulating proposals for bringing about im-
provement on the route and providing facilities on the
same lines as I did in the case of the Vaishno Devi
shrine, through a statutory board outside the Government,
like Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board. We took the same
route as is usually taken by the yatris.
>From Pahalgam, we proceeded to Chandanwari, along thick
and green woodlands of breathtaking beauty, perched on
pretty rocks, with playful stream of Lidder dancing
around. From Chandanwari, we climbed to Pishu Ghati
(3,171 metres). A feeling of being upward and divine
gradually dawned upon us as we reached Seshnag (3,570
metres) - so enthralling and captivating was its setting
and environment. This great lake, 'shining like a jewel
of Mother Earth', symbolises the cosmic ocean in which
Lord Vishnu moves, reclining on a seven-headed mythical
snake.
The journey from Seshnag to Mahagunas (4,350 metres)
proved the most difficult as well as the most rewarding.
>From the latter spot, there was a welcome descent to
Posh-pathan which was full of wild flowers. Then we moved
on to Panchtarni, a confluence of five mythical streams.
Finally, we found ourselves before the holy cave, housing
the Ice Lingam in all its shining glory and greatness and
conveying in hushed silence the message of Mahadeva, of
"all what was, is and will be", a message that brings
home the inseparability of the 'processes of creation and
destruction'.
After the visit, I drew up a plan to construct a large
number of stone-cum-steel-cum-glass structures at suit-
able points in which pilgrims could take rest and enjoy,
sitting inside, the panoramic view of the heavenly sur-
roundings. These units could also provide a solid pro-
tection in the event of nature suddenly turning 'red in
tooth and claw', as it happened on August 22 this time.
They could be heated through indigenous 'bukharis' and in
their basements or side rooms, all essential items of
relief could be stored. But implementation of such a
plan required at least three clear working seasons which,
in this area, are restricted to only two months. The
Governor's rule, moreover, was suddenly brought to an
end. And soon the plan became a victim of usual casual-
ness, particularly after I left the State.
It is unfortunate that most of the pilgrim spots, like
those in the great complex of Amarnath, to which millions
of Indians are attracted every now and then by their
inner urge, are in a state of utter neglect. No imagina-
tive and positive use is being made of them to create
anew awakening in the country and strengthen those forces
of mind and matter which, for centuries, have provided
the underlying base for its unity from Kashmir to Kanya-
kumari and from Kathiawar to Kamroop, besides promoting
pilgrim tourism and opening vast avenues for economic
advancement.
