The Ghatkopar tragedy underscores the urgent need for stricter safety measures and accountability to prevent future incidents driven by commercial greed

In a massive human tragedy, involving human negligence, 16 innocent lives were lost and almost 75 people were injured when a hoarding fell on a petrol pump in Ghatkopar, a suburb in Mumbai on May 13. It is guessed that the hoarding had a weak foundation and probably fell due to the heavy winds that were blowing that day and struck several people who were present at a nearby petrol pump. It is learnt that the hoarding was three times the size sanctioned by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and stood on the land owned by the Government Railway Polic (GRP). The advertising panel that held the hoarding in question was put by Ego Media whose owner Bhavesh Bhinde was arrested in this connection on Thursday.

This incident would not have occurred if care had been taken by those who are entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring observance of legal norms. Any damage or harm caused to persons, naturally, raises concerns of some kind of negligence or human carelessness. It is apparent that some negligence was involved and legal norms were violated. There was negligence on the part of the people who put up such a dangerous advertising panel as well as the local authorities.

The natural question here is why was the company allowed to put an advertising panel, that posed danger to human lives, in violation of the relevant norms and why some action to remove such a dangerous panel was not taken in time by the concerned authorities. There is clear negligence of the owners and workers of the company that put this panel on the public road as they could reasonably foresee that such a panel may cause harm or injury if care is not taken. But there is also apparent negligence of the local authorities whose accountability is required to be fixed as their responsibility is to keep watch on city roads and, wherever necessary, take quick action to prevent accidents and damage. In this particular matter also, there is an obvious indifference towards the breach of duty and negligence as is apparent in the general attitude of apathy and lackadaisical approach in the Government functionaries as well as among the common people in India. This incident has posed many questions involving faulty urban governance in Indian cities as well as highlighting the general apathy towards human life in our country.

There is no doubt that the Ghatkopar incident was an accident and accidents do occur despite precautions and they happen even in the most developed nations. But incidents and accidents causing deaths, injuries and damages are rampant in India, perhaps, much more than in any other country.

The national newspapers are full of news of deaths, injuries and damages caused either due to road accidents, dog attacks, fire incidents, drowning in rivers, lakes and swimming pools or due to negligence in many other situations including while doing medical procedures. What is surprising is that such news does not invite or attract much public reaction and only some hue and cry is raised in bigger matters for some time which is gradually forgotten. The Government officials also do not seem much bothered by such incidents and they also respond momentarily to assuage the public outcry for the time being.

The thought that perplexes one here is how unfortunately so many innocent and precious lives were lost and what impact it would have had on their family members. Many of those who died must have been the sole breadwinners in the family on whose income the family may have been dependent. The unexpected deaths of near ones and injuries to those who survived must have caused huge shock and left indelible marks on the psyches of relatives and injured that will remain a constant source of pain for them for the rest of their lives. The loss of relatives as well as the source of income will turn this tragedy into a double jeopardy for the shattered and grieving family members.

Anyone, with an awakened mind and a sensitive heart, who is witnessing rampant human tragedies regularly happening in India, naturally shudders to think about whether there is any guarantee of security or value of, human life in this country.

Ghatkopar tragedy among other such incidents again compels one to think that whether every individual, in this country, is so insecure and vulnerable that anything can happen to them anytime and anywhere and there is always a possibility of an accident occurring with them due to negligence and callous apathy of others towards human life.

This dismal atmosphere makes the author recall a Statement from a friend’s son who had long back gone to study in England. When asked about the difference in life between India and England, he sadly quipped that in England people do not let even their animals die and go to every extent to save their lives, but in India, we see people regularly dying like animals, without much compassion being felt by Government or people. Hope that the Ghatkopar incident will raise concerns and make the Government and people more careful and responsible and a general atmosphere of care and value for human life shall prevail to save precious human lives in our nation.

(The author is a Sr Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Law, the University of Delhi; views are personal)