It is once again dirty politics here! Some of present corrupt and unscrupulous elements in politics , especially in congress party who are deprived of positions in various crucial status to turn benefits in their favour, waiting for an opportunity to scandalize and remove present clean, simple, humble, cultured, bold, anti-corrupt and people-oriented chief minister of Maharashtra , shri Vilas Rao Deshmukh, play this usual dirty game! This is not new to people of this country and state who saw transfers of clean officers like Dr. Pasricha, then commissioner of police and now I.G. of Maharashtra, shri. Chandra Shekhar, then commissioner of Thane Municipal corporation, shri Bhatia, then commissioner of Pune Municipality etc., under frivolous reasons! No one, including the Meteorological experts, could anticipate the unusual cloud burst to pour a record rain of 100 cms in one day which was a record for past 100yrs.. How could a chief minister anticipate a phenomenon that could not happen in the past 100 yrs now? However, shri. Deshmukh was quick enough to deploy defence forces and organize all the other rescue operations very efficiently at the earliest! Instead of blaming shri .Vilas rao Dheshmukh, the senior congress person should blame earlier governments who failed to shape the state with proper planning and infra structure, due to which present Government had to face such criticism! Let such wicked politics be away from welfare of people!
Everyone is well aware of the torrential rains that brought Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan & Maharashtra to a standstill on 26,27th July 2005. I stay in Kalyan and have been staying there for the last 18 years, but i have never seen such disaster hit us. Yes, there were heavy rains earlier too, 1989 for example, but nothing was even close to that which happened on 26th & 27th July. Although the media boasts that they were bringing all pictures live, there was not even a mention of Badlapur, Ambernath, Kalyan or Dombivli in the news. All one could see was the water logged areas (Knee-deep) in Kurla and Andheri. Was there nobody from the media to captutre the 18-20 feet waterlogging in Badlapur, Ambernath, Kalyan in which thousands of people were suffering? Or is it that the media gave the first priority to Mumbai only? People are saying that the Government failed (which it surely did) but what about the media? We were staying without electricity till yesterday (Thank God that water supply was restored by Saturday). Why was that not highlighted? Can someone from the media please answer?
Large cities like Mumbai need a "CEO" who has command over the numerous bodies that provide services to the city.Currently they all work or 'sleep' independently with little or no coordination.Obviously such a post needs to be non political and totally answerable to the tax payers.But then any Govt. in any state has failed miserably when faced with a crisis.Why shoud we be surprised that this govt.failed?
Its none of his fault as reaction time and containment actions moved beyond human control on 26th-July but yes our strength (Administration) which was available behaved like impotent and rather helping citizens were either searching for "Lame excuses" 'or'door to make shameless escape. Its high time to restructuring our strengths and weaknesses and above all resources simultaneously towards as well to copeup with such and other "Natural - Calamities" rather spending funds on foreign-visits, parties, and lucrative demands of our shameless frontiers in- Police, Administration, and biggest clowns our - Good for nothing so-called "Netajis"
So many tragedies come and go by in India. Yet we still do not see one instance where a disaster management team (if formed) taking a lead in dealing with the crisis.
The main reason for it would be that the govt. and the ministers do not want to let go the moment of capturing publicity moments of grief, loss and tragedy. All they see is how their name can be up there on the Television sets, newspapers or any forum.
Even in the recent Tsunami warnings follow-up, you could see all TV anchors and newreporters directing questions to Kapil Sibal, the minister,95% of which could have been answered by the met. department. This would not only have apprised the masses of the situation, but also produce the right action needed with good amount or responsibility delegation. All TV networks want is to get a minister to answer to show that they can have the pull to call in important people and increase ratings.
Look at London blasts tragedy. Who comes first on TV or media? It is their Police Commissioner,who conveys that they are aware of the scenario and that they have control. Tony Blair followed up with agreeing and then asking for calm.Wonder when this maturity will come?
