Natural disasters, man-made tragedies

As we wonder why disasters strike us with such regularity and take away so much that is precious to us, there is need to look inwards rather than skywards

There were reports that some cruise ships were operating in the Mandovi River in Goa close to the Arabian Sea despite warnings of rough weather along the coast due to Cyclone Vayu this month. In other instances, it is common to see fishermen clearly disregarding warning signs put out by authorities during times of ocean-based climate threats.
Cities large and small all over are struck at regular intervals with disasters, some natural, many man-made. These often result in large casualties in terms of human lives and destroy valuable property including entire homes. Naturally, the poor, the weak, the elderly, women and children are most vulnerable and suffer disproportionately. These not only suffer the most during the traumatic event but those that survive also expend significantly higher energy, time and effort in rebuilding their lives and those of their near and dear ones. It is indeed sad and often heart-rending. In the end all of us look skywards and wonder why the gods have been so unkind to us.

We are responsible too
But what of our own acts of commission and omission? As in the case above of the cruise ships and the fishermen, in case there were to be a mishap, the tragedy would only be because someone did not pay heed to warnings or disregarded advice of the authorities. As we go around our daily lives, we can see every now and then instances of gross disregard for systems, procedures and safety protocols. Take for instance fire hazards. Rules and safety procedures say that the emergency fire exit in buildings shall be well identified with signs, the stairways/passages shall be absolutely clear with no obstructions, etc. Yet one can see even in sensitive public buildings such as hospitals that fire/emergency exits are not well identified, the fire exit staircases are stacked with cartons and other material and worse, the door of the fire exit is often locked/latched. Therefore, in the unfortunate event of a fire, people have no escape route – something that is necessary. In addition, fires in public buildings are often started and spread due to unauthorised/incorrect storage of combustible material. Fire-fighting systems, mandatory in many buildings and often installed, are rarely tested for functionality. So when the need arises, these simply do not work. One can find examples of such shameful lapses while reading reports of fire-related calamities. Or take the case of water-related tragedies. It is prudent and often mandatory for leisure boating operators to strap on life-saving jackets on those travelling in the boat. But this mandate is characterised more by its breach than its observance. While the casual attitude of the operator is to be primarily blamed, it is heartbreaking to see that even those paying and using the boat ride do not bother to ask for a life vest for their own safety. It takes a drowning tragedy for us to realise our folly and say ‘what if only he had worn a life vest?’ As the monsoon sets in during the next few weeks, we will find several travel destinations chock-a-block with visitors, especially during weekends. In spite of the memories of some unfortunate tragic events of previous years, there is no improvement in the behaviour of the visitors who take undue risks, violate the law and totally disregard the advice of police and other authorities. In recent years, there are repeated instances of people getting grievously injured or falling off cliffs while attempting ‘selfies’.
Many of our hill cities and towns are susceptible to landslides. Such events, often small and less headline-grabbing occur frequently. While the natural topography of the place combined with its vulnerable location prevents us from completely avoiding these events, there are nonetheless several standards especially with respect to building specifications and regulations, preservation of natural ecosystems, etc. which will enable minimize damage during landslides and earthquakes. However, these regulations are flouted with impunity due to the greed of a few thereby putting lives at risk.

Take for instance fire hazards. Rules and safety procedures say that the emergency fire exit in buildings shall be well identified with signs, the stairways/passages shall be absolutely clear with no obstructions, etc. Yet one can see even in sensitive public buildings such as hospitals that fire/emergency exits are not well identified, the fire exit staircases are stacked with cartons and other material and worse, the door of the fire exit is often locked/latched.

Let’s learn to comply
As we can see in the above instances, many disasters need not have happened at all, just with a little care and caution on our part. In other cases, when a disaster is imminent, citizens need to comply with instructions of the authorities in charge. Signaling the importance of this former US President Obama in his hurricane preparedness address in 2016 said, “One of the things that we have learned over the course of the last seven and a half years is that government plays a vital role, but it is every citizen’s responsibility to be prepared for a disaster. And that means taking proactive steps, like having an evacuation plan, having a fully stocked disaster supply kit. If your local authorities ask you to evacuate, you have to do it. Don’t wait.”
As we can see around us, today we are much better equipped to deal with all kinds of disasters. The NDRF for example is a specialised dedicated force set up in 2006 for effective disaster response. The force comprising about 14,000 persons has been providing a noteworthy response during disasters in India and neighbouring countries. The force is well-trained and armed with equipment to address a wide range to emergencies. During non-action times, members of the force engage with citizens working to build their awareness and preparedness for times of any emergency. Inspite of various such initiatives approach of citizens towards preventing disasters and responding suitably remains sub-optimal.
The question then is why we do not follow procedures when these have been put in place to prevent hardship, pain and potential tragedy in the event of accidents. Sometimes it is simply lack of knowledge or inadequate awareness of the risks, of the suggested safeguards, and of the rationale for these. Sometimes, as in the case of blocked fire exits in buildings, it is the greed of the owners or operators of the building or facility. There is an attempt to use every bit of space by deploying it in income-earning activity. The patrons’ safety and well-being does not matter. This same greed also results in ‘cutting corners’ by avoiding expenditure on fire-extinguishers, life vests, their maintenance, replacement, and so on. Then there is this attitude ‘nothing will happen to me’ (as in the case of road safety violations); until something does happen. All these call into focus the need for compliance. Compliance of safety procedures and recovery protocols is an essential part of urban resilience.
And for those who worry about the cost of compliance, please recall the words of former US Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty. He said, “If you think compliance is expensive – try non-compliance”.