Hathras tragedy underscores failure to learn from the past

The stampede at a religious congregation in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, on Tuesday that left 121 dead is yet another instance of administrative inertia compounding the risks from poor organisation. The satsang organisers failed on many counts — from anticipating the size of the crowd to having adequate exit points and medical arrangements. Holding the satsang in a tent amid oppressive humidity and with grounds slippery from the rains escapes conventional wisdom even when a gathering of 80,000 — the crowd size the district administration had permitted — is considered, let alone the reported 100,000 who turned up. The offenders must be brought to book: A case has been filed against close aides of the godmanat the centre of the satsang. But the latter, who goes by the names of Bhole Baba and Narayan Sakaar Hari, hasn’t been named in the FIR. This raises many questions, given several other pending cases against him.

Many recent accidents were rooted in similar failures to enforce safety protocols. Just last year, the roof of a stepwell in a temple in Madhya Pradesh collapsed from the weight of visitors who had gathered for Ram Navami celebrations. A probe flagged poor crowd control and the illegally constructed roof. The tragedy occurring many months after the local administration ordered the removal of the roof underscored administrative failure. The country has been in this territory multiple times, where large numbers gather for congregations and political rallies, and poor crowd control and the failure of the authorities to monitor organisers leads to disaster. In the Hathras incident, the officials who should have ensured safety compliance have as much to answer for as the organisers.

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