Panic, chaos and mismanagement reigned supreme at Kasturba hospital premises, a portion of female ward caved in on Friday. lack of coordination and delayed response of the administration led to considerable confusion and even disaffection among the local people.
The administrations’ unpreparedness to meet such exigencies and lack of proper emergency response protocols is best evident by the fact that till late evening district Collector Nikunj Shrivastava and other authorities including Mayor Krishna Gaur, UAD Minister Babulal Gaur and BHEl officials gave different count of the persons injured in the accident.
Bhopal mayor Krishna Gaur, who had reached the spot within minutes was seen instructing earthmoving crane operators while state ministers, opposition Congress leaders, local MlAs, corporators were also trying to take charge of the situation. Almost all of them seemed eager to give sound bytes, get photographed or filmed by private TV news channels. State urban administration minister Babulal Gaur was also among those who reached first at the spot besides Congress district president PC Sharma.
The hospital authorities and district administration had a serious responsibility in the accident in several ways even before the mishap occurred. No safety precaution was in place while carrying renovation work in a building more than half century old. Not only this, even patients were admitted on the first floor while the renovation work was being done in complete disregard to the condition of the building.
Further, according to unconfirmed sources, the district administration had also not taken care to check the condition of the hospital building. Reportedly, the CMHO shirked from any responsibility saying that the hospital comes under central government and he has no authority over it.
Even the authorities in Bharat Heavy Electricals limited (BHEl) which runs the hospital had not taken sufficient precaution before starting the renovation work.
Ajay Singh demands strict action against guilty
leader of Opposition Ajay Singh has termed the incident of building collapse as unfortunate and demanded that strict action should be taken against those found guilty of negligence.
Singh had reached the scene of the mishap soon after the news spread and saw the relief and rescue operations that were being carried there. He also enquired about the condition of the injured.
Interacting with the media later, Singh said that prima facie the responsibility for the collapse rests with the hospital management. He demanded that the government should take action against the guilty within a fixed time period. He also demanded that the condition of the hospital building should be reviewed and necessary corrective steps should be taken.