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Tragic mishap in Reasi

Kashmir Times. Dated: 7/17/2018 12:26:42 PM

Deficiencies in district hospital and absence of doctors calls for an inquiry by the higher-ups in the state administration

Death of at least seven holiday-makers and pilgrims besides injuries to over 30 persons at Siyarh Baba pilgrimage destination in Reasi on Sunday afternoon is both tragic and sad. It is all the more tragic that the fun-flocking atmosphere turned into a tragedy for the pilgrims and holiday-makers, who were visiting the pilgrimage site on the weekend. It is also sad that the pilgrims lost their lives for no fault of theirs when the sliding rocks hit them when they were having a bath in the waterfalls on Sunday. The otherwise peaceful and serene atmosphere became a site of mourning for the visitors at this pilgrimage destination, where no such accident has been reported at least in the recent years. The landslides hit the site when no one at this place had ever imagined that such a tragedy would occur and that too on this day when people were enjoying the holy bath in the waterfalls. The authorities acted swiftly and sent rescue teams to the accident spot immediately and heavy construction machinery had to be pressed into service for retrieving the bodies trapped under the debris of the landslides. Surprisingly, none of the officials or volunteers from the much-touted Disaster Management Force was available for undertaking the rescue and relief operations at the accident. The district administration has also not been able to explain why the Disaster Management teams were not available for this purpose when the state government has been making tall claims about making such units ready for any eventuality. Apart from this, there was insufficient arrangement for treating the injured at District Hospital Reasi. The emergency ward was unfortunately found insufficient for the injured and those, who were declared brought dead. No doctors or para-medical staffers were available for providing immediate medical assistance to the victims of the accident. It is perhaps for the first time that the condition and facilities available in the district hospital at Reasi have come to light in the event of a tragic accident. It has also been found that doctors and other ancillary staff are deficient in the hospital, which has been sanctioned and upgraded for providing facilities to the people for more than ten years.
The district administration is also yet to come to grips of the situation that became more tragic in the backdrop of deficient facilities. The situation is no better in other district hospitals in Jammu region where new district hospitals have been upgraded after the new districts were carved out in 2007. It mainly for this reason that the accident victims and survivors had to be shifted to Kakryal Vaishno Devi Hospital near Katra for providing adequate medical treatment to them. A person, no less than the Governor N N Vohra himself had to intervene and direct the shifting of the victims and survivors to the Vaishno Devi Hospital near Katra. Besides this, the immediate action of providing relief to the survivors by the administration is appreciable on the part of Governor. It is also strange that no assessment has been made about the possibility of an accident at this pilgrimage destination has ever been made by the concerned authorities fully knowing that it is a popular site for the pilgrims and some emergency arrangements should be made for meeting such eventualities. Moreover, if the rocks were loose or were sliding, there should have been some precaution and warning for the pilgrims at this destination. It appears that the authorities have woken up from their deep slumber as is the case in other tragic accidents after the incident at this place on Sunday. It will only after the accident that the administration will going in for an inquiry into the incident and find the exact cause of mishap and make a re-assessment of the site in order to prevent such accidents in future. The authorities should also make a fresh assessment of the deficiencies in the hospital where the victims and survivors could be provided at least the first aid after the mishap. The absence of doctors and other facilities in Reasi also needs to be probed by the concerned authorities so that such a situation does not witness a repeat of such conditions.