Topic Of The Day:-“Amritsar Disaster: Avoidable Tragedy”
Responsibility Must Be Fixed For The Amritsar Disaster. Political Spats Won’t Help
The ghastly Dasara disaster at Amritsar that has left 59 people dead is a harsh reminder, if any were needed, that government departments have not yet taken official protocols for safety at mass gatherings seriously. In the aftermathof the entirely preventable carnage, in which spectators crowding a railway track to watch burning of effigies were mowed down by a train, there is a frantic effort to pin responsibility on agencies and individuals, and, deplorably, to exploit public anger for political ends. What happened at Joda Phatak in Amritsar points to the basic failure of the district administration and the police, which should have ensured law and order. If the organisers of the event had obtained a no-objection certificate from the police, as reports suggest, what role did the law enforcement machinery play in crowd control? On the other hand, the Municipal Corporation in Amritsar has tried to distance itself, claimingthat its permission was not sought, although almost everyone in the city knew it was taking place. The magisterialinquiry ordered by the Punjab government should examine the actions of the revenue authorities and the police in organising the event, and whether rules were ignored to favour the organisers who claimed proximity to some politicians.Major religious festivals in India are often overshadowed by deadly incidents such as stampedes and fires, ranging from the terrible toll of 249 deaths at the Chamunda Devi temple stampede in Jodhpur in 2008, to the railway station stampede during the Kumbh Mela at Allahabad five years later in which 36 people died. The National Disaster Management Authority has responded to these horrors by creating a guide for State governments and local bodies, laying down a clear protocol to be followed for mass gatherings and festivals. Whether this was followed by the Amritsar authorities in the planning of the Dasara celebrations is one of the questions that must be addressed. There should be a transformation of the way such events are organised, with a lead agency in each State and district empowered to issue instructions, and in turn be accountable for public safety. More broadly, there is a serious deficit of common spaces in cities, towns and villages to conduct spectacular events safely. This is incongruous in a populous country with a tradition of festivals and cultural gatherings. The Punjab government, wiser after the fact, says it will draw up guidelines for the future. At Amritsar, trespass on the track was the prime reason for the accident. A campaign to educate the public that railway tracks cannot be treated as commons, and vigorous enforcement, will reduce theprobability of such incidents. The Railways must identify hazard spots for train movement in heavily built-up areas and prevent trespass by barricading them. A culture of safety can take root if governments imbibe it first.
MEANINGS AND WORDS
1) aftermath
Meaning : the consequences or after-effects of a significant unpleasant event(n)
Synonyms : impact , outcome
Antonyms : cause
Example : “food prices soared in the aftermath of the drought(n)”
2) effigies
Meaning : a sculpture or model of a person(n).
Synonyms : image , statue
Antonyms : being
Example : “a tomb effigy of Eleanor of Aquitaine”(n)
3) carnage
Meaning : the killing of a large number of people(n).
Synonyms : slaughter , genocide
Antonyms : civility
Example : “the bombing was timed to cause as much carnage as possible”
4) frantic
Meaning : distraught with fear, anxiety, or other emotion(adj).
Synonyms : wild , frenzied
Antonyms : calm
Example : “she was frantic with worry”
5) deplorably
Meaning : deserving strong condemnation; completely unacceptable(adj).
Synonyms : sad , lamentable
Antonyms : admirable
Example : “children living in deplorable conditions”
6) enforcement
Meaning : the act of compelling observance of or compliance with a law, rule, or obligation(n).
Synonyms : constraint , coercion
Antonyms : acquittance
Example : “the strict enforcement of environmental regulations”
7) sought
Meaning : attempt to find (something)(v).
Synonyms : desired
Antonyms : unwanted
Example : “they came here to seek shelter from biting winter winds”
8) magisterial
Meaning : having or showing great authority(adj).
Synonyms : imperious dictatorial
Antonyms : electable
Example : “a magisterial pronouncement”
9) proximity
Meaning : nearness in space, time, or relationship(n)
Synonyms : nearness , vicinity
Antonyms : distance
Example : “do not operate microphones in close proximity to television sets”
10) stampedes
Meaning : a sudden panicked rush of a number of horses, cattle, or other animals(n).(of horses, cattle, or other animals) rush wildly in a sudden mass panic(v).
Synonyms : panics , inflows
Antonyms : retreats
Example : “the herd was fleeing back to the high land in a wild stampede”(n), “the nearby sheep stampeded as if they sensed impending danger”(v)
11) spectacular
Meaning : beautiful in a dramatic and eye-catching way(adj), an event such as a pageant or musical, produced on a large scale and with striking effects(n).
Synonyms : splendid , marvellous
Antonyms : usual
Example : “spectacular mountain scenery”(adj), “French history was represented in a spectacular for tourists(n)“
12) incongruous
Meaning : not in harmony or keeping with the surroundings or other aspects of something(adj), Tamil Meaning :பொருத்தமற்ற
Synonyms : incompatible , inconsistent
Antonyms : congruous
Example : “the duffel coat looked incongruous with the black dress she wore underneath”(adj).
13) trespass
Meaning : enter someone’s land or property without permission(n),entry to a person’s land or property without permission(v).
Synonyms : sin
Antonyms : retreat
Example : “there is no excuse for trespassing on railway property”(n),“the defendants were guilty of trespass”(v)
14) barricading
Meaning : block or defend with a barricade(v) .
Synonyms : barrier , bar
Antonyms : entrance
Example : “they barricaded the building and occupied it all night”(v)