It is always easier for the people to blame the Government for its inept handling during times of crisis of such magnitude. But, people must realize as to what is the real cause for such a tragedy to have occurred. If you can say it in one sentence, it is simply the fruits of unorganized and uneven development. Mumbai is the commercial hub of the Nation and it is where millions of Indians from all over the Country converge to find employment. But, this migration only adds to the misery of the already over populated City with all its disastrous consequences. Naturally, all those people who migrated need shelter for their safety, but the City is never growing in space. As a result even river banks are being converted to plots and are sold to the people. The result, water has no place to go when heavy rains pelt the City. In the selling of these plots, some local level politicians also play their part by distributing illegal pattas.The ever growing slums also adds to the problem and water is being obstructed in every corner of the road restricting the free flow into the drains. That is why water clogging has posed a very big problem this time around with the record rains
First: Restore communication lines everywhere, and power immediately. Second: distribution of food and clothing, and moving homeless to temporary shelters. Third: clear up the roads, railwaylines and runways, and make them accessible and fit-for-use. In the long run: review all the illegal encroachments and land reclamations done "legally" along the Mithi river. Clear the path for its free flow.
I have heard from everyone and seen it myself that neither cops nor BMC were helping people. The big question that we should be discussing is, WHY? WHY WEREN'T THEY THERE?
Answer 1: corrupt government employees are lazy. They don't care.
I don't blame them completely for being corrupt, only 50%. The rest 50% is our fault. We offer them bribes, we let them get away with it. Stop bribing them. Next time a cop stops you without a seat belt or crossing a red light, take a ticket and dont offer bribe. Want a license from BMC, run around, stand in line and get it done the right way. EITHER DONT OFFER BRIBE FOR YOUR CONVIENCE OR DONT STOP BLAMING THEM.
Answer 2: They are never held accountable for anything.
We have to make them realize their responsibilities and hold them accountable for it. Dont just forget this incident in week.
Now the powers that be should have woken up as to how lethargic and insensitive they were to the practicalities of the situation. Eye on votes,votes alone had led to this situation. Improper planning, lack of coordination, outdates laws and rules, procedural wrangles, corruption, indifference to realities,"what if something happens to somebody - i am safe, happy, rich and affordable" attitude have all contributed to the near standstill situation in mumbai from the reports we could get. hundred year old drainage system/storm water disposal system and the like have definitely had their impact on the poor infrastructure to cope up with such a devastating situation. I recall a letter from Japan where a reader said that such heavy rainfalls are normal in Tokyo and other cities but just in 15 minutes the life is back to normal, no traffic snarls, no hold up of trains, no cancellation of air traffic, no disruption orbreakdown in communication and electricity. Will India see this in this century atleast! Kudos to the mumbaikars for their selfless uprising in rendering help to fellow beings. let the spirit grow when the govt. is inactive and the politicians "inspect" the damage.
I think we really need to demarket mumbai for next few years and this calamity will defiantely help the cause.
I really do not find Mumbai being State capital of maharahtra. It can be shifted to some city like aurangabad which is at the middle of maharashtra.
It will reduce the 20-25% load from mumbai as most of political establishment is in south mumbai which means 20-25 % of tarffic which comes to mumbai and goes out is not at all related to mumbai.
Secondly Mumbai can go for a over bridge train service which is at present operating in Chennai.It will solve the problem of railways.
On a lighter side
Maharashtra Govt can appoint two cabinet ministers
1. Minister of UP
2. Minister of Bihar
both of them will look after employment and infrastructure issues in respective states. It will help to reduce the inflow to mumbai.
The cause of mumbai problem lies in non developement of rest of India. and not in Mumbai
Adminstartion in mumbai is one of the best in the world.
Cause is not Vilasrao or Mayor of Mumbai but it is Laloo and Mulayam.
i have several times been in the midst of discussions or call it arguments with my friends from Bombay who claim, that is the place to be. i live in Delhi. in the past 10 years, i must have travelled to Bombay more than 100 times. every time i am there i feel an uneasy helplessness.
i think all the talk about the spirit of bombay etc is just routine nonsense to digress from the topic. the core issue is that people of Bombay need respite - Badly & QUICKLY!
its unthinkable that the Premier City is so ill-equipped in 2005. i agree & understand that the rains was not an ordinary shower blah blah & everything else. but what appalls me is the non-existent infrastructure of Bombay & the absolute acceptance of it by the people of Bombay.
if chandni chowk in Delhi could be dug to make way for the Metro, i cant understand why a parallel rapid transport system cant be put in place in Bombay using the Existing Railway Network which is perhaps so well spread & networked.
i think Bombay has been living in a make-believe world of superiority, no offences meant. but its time the people there realise that there is more to it than simple bravado...
The Government should always be ready to fight such and all types of desasterous incidances. for that they should have a seperate cell for rescue operation, seperate team,sufficient machinaries eg. jcbs ,craines etc, sufficient resources to provide basic needs to affected people , road and rail transport, communication system and most important the responsibility. The People should keep patience first as such type of incidance are not purposefully invited but they are unprecedented. they should avoid blaming the government.at the same time they should help each other .this type of help reach much early than any outside help.they should not beleive on rumours as well as spread them.they should not do any act which will create more confusion or problem to others.
In recent disaster in maharashtra however , government failed to reach upto the affected people.hence the death toll increased. they (the government) should take learning from this incidance.people also beleived on rumours.
Why Mumbai only ? what happened there can easily happen elsewhere in India - Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata - when nature strikes, it is bound to be a telling blow as it happened in Mumbai
In Bangalore or Chennai for instance, even if 20% of the rainfall occurs, the cities for sure would go underwater (literally)!
it is not the govt alone that should act, every tax-paying citizen ought to do some rational practical soul-searching and come up with solutions
1. the incredibly voluminous amount of garbage that lies unattended to in all our cities - do we have an action plan for them ? No
2. is there a blueprint/model to understand how much of garbage we generate in big cities every day/week/ month and what happens to them ? No
3. Is there a model projecting the rate at which we would be generating garbage in the next 10-15 years vis-a-vis population growth ? No
let us address the above three questions in detail/ depth and then come up with workable plans of action and implement them with members of an executive committee chosen from the public at random, the judiciary and the armed forces overseeing the implementation - only then will something happen
we the citizens of mumbai should not reelect a single corporator or legislator . we should programme a boycot of all these politicians, show blackflags wherever they go. all of us should stop paying muncipal taxes until they take up civil works on large scale, do not use plastic carry bags. gie shelter to nearby affected families. each family shelter another family.
