.And the city is half drown! Whoever thought of this? But then, don’t we always get caught unaware, unwarned despite all the’arrangement’ and the’tall claims’ made in the past by the so called Disaster Management-(Read it as Disastrous management!) of the’City of Dreams’ - all my dreams just got washed away! Thanks to the government.
The grave statistics of the casualties, of losses, et al is known to every reader here. The media did its work. I saw my six year old niece listening very intently when we discussed the calamity, and she ran and brought the newspaper which translated our conversation in the form of horrifying pictures.she has endless questions to ask. There was one question that none of my answer would convince her. She asked me ’.Where is Mr. Policeman in the picture?!.Our Teacher at school said that we have’special people’ trained to deal with such situation.but where are they.Now who will help them?!’
It is a tragedy, more fatal than the flood, when the government takes refuge under the banner of’Natural Calamity’(Read Mr CM’s interview at rediff). Of course CM, Sir, nobody was hoping that you would make a dealing with the’Rain God’ and avert the flood with all the power you possess, but on the contrary every citizen of Mumabi, oh sorry, ’To-be- Shanghai’, was looking forward for ACTION! Immediate Action and Control.
The civil body, although caught sleeping on duty- but once fully awake, needn’t be told the’How’s and What’s’ to tackle the situation. By God, the airways was not blocked! evacuation is not an alien word! weather forecast mechanism(let me have a’tearful laugh’ at this) was not outdated! management force is not inadequate!Funds are never exhausted!(it’s different that they are burnt in the wrong places) Then what left them helpless, hopeless, crashed?
Ha, I know the reason of their failure. Believe this at your own risk, though. There was insufficient supply of’yellow raincoats’! Either this, or we really have rotten brains governing above us. I seriously say that this special force dedicated for such cause in our country should be shown the documented movies of how other nations employ their forces, their machinery, even the typical words that they announce to calm down the local public, (of course after translating it in marathi so’everyone’ could understand!) to avoid rumors, false alarms, that spreads wildly in the grapevine, to fight every calamity and take charge of the situation as early as possible. And this should be made obligatory on all. We all know, and appreciate the foreign style, don’t we?
After all this, one thing that has come to light, and it proves right again and again, is the spirit of Mumbaikar, Bombayites(I still like this name, now don’t ask me why.it will take another write up, your time, and I have loads to say). But coming to the spirit of this city, that one spirit to live and let live, which did not dampen even in the chest deep water, of extending the’rope of hope’.
May the soul of those who could not fight the nature’s fury Rest In Peace. It’s hotchpotch under the sea or over the bridge for the victims, but its those who are alive, and face death like situation almost everyday need serious and urgent attention.
May we learn our lesson with this failure, and do more then just stand up and salute the mumbaikars for their courage or observe 2 minutes of silence. The courage won’t last forever nor will the city remain silent for long. We shall gulp down the failure of the’Disaster Management’, No More.
Whoever said it was a Terrible Tuesday? It truly was a Testing Tuesday. It tested the efficiency of the sarkaar, and it did test the will of the janta.
What can I do now, but fie,
A solitary bard pray,
Let spite savage, sod memory lie,
Let only bliss and pleasant memory stay!