Thinking of a thrilling experience on a giant wheel or rides in a fest! Do so but at your own risk as safety at these places is not the business of the operator.
People trying to make money by setting up a giant wheel and other types of ride in fest often keep safety concerns of customer at bay. Operators of these temporary facilities often ignore the safety concerns of hundreds of customers who throng such places. Even basic warning signs mentioning suitable age and do’s & don’t while going for a ride is difficult to spot at these places.
“It is safe. So far nothing has happened,” said the operator of wheel at National Khadi and Saras Mahotsav, being held at Morhabadi ground. Driven by the adrenaline rush, a nonchalant customer does not see absence of safety measures as the plausible reason for avoiding the joy ride. Children and adults alike, the potentially unsafe and life threatening giant wheels and rides have become an instant hit at the Khadi mela.
“We are concerned about our child but have asked the operator not to rotate the wheel too fast,” SK Chauhan, a visitor at the mela. Strikingly, such temporary facilities often go unnoticed from the safety point of view. The district administration grants licences for operating such facilities with special emphasis on security for the people in proportion to the danger that such a facility poses to human lives. As per the norms, the operator has to specify the nature of danger in written format which is subsequently verified by the office of the Sub-Divisional Officer and the Superintendent of Police.
“The licenses are granted on the condition that the facility should not cause loss to human lives,” said SDO Sadar Ranchi Ameet Kumar. The license is granted after the competent authority verifies the installation on three broad criteria among many others- quality of the equipment, fire safety and security features necessary to protect human lives. The licensing authority entrusts the local police to ensure that the security norms are followed in the letter and spirit. However, the temporary facilities are never inspected by the police to ascertain adherence to the safety norms. “No police has ever come to us,” said the operator of the giant wheel at Khadi Mela.