Three youngsters dying after crashing into a parked multi-axle truck on NH-4; children falling into open borewells; pedestrians and riders coming under the wheels of passing vehicles; residents getting killed by dacoits; or even falling tree branches crushing the heads of passers-by and motorists.
As if all these are not enough to drill into our minds that our life is so cheap in Namma Bengaluru, we have a 24-year-old woman’s life cut short in its prime only because a mock fire drill went horribly wrong because the firemen were negligent.
Look closely, and you will see that our government agencies, be they the traffic or law and order police, civic agencies, fire department, are the negligent ones causing the death of citizens.
The February 23, 2010, Carlton Towers fire will for ever keep reminding us of how poorly our agencies are trained in handling crowds during an emergency; how poorly they look at saving lives; and how quick they are to come out with excuses as though they are not actually dealing with lives lost (or to be saved), but with non-living objects.
Proud memories of a fire officer scaling the heights of a mobile phone tower to save a life of a jawan appear to be dwarfed in front of the mammoth, regular misdoings of our government agencies that have time and again claimed lives.
Where does one begin to rework the thinking of our government officials, whose prime job it is to ensure safety of the citizens? Or do we rest back and continue watching more of our fellow citizens dying like it’s the regular thing to happen? Or worse, nurse a disturbing thought: “When will it be my turn to die due to their negligence?”
It’s time our government officials realised that love for our city, our state, our country is best expressed through protecting and nurturing life; by making living, as we know it, a safe endeavour. That would be the right way to realise their dreams of winning medals and promotions.
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