– R.K. Sinha
First the painful train accident in Odisha and then the collapse of a bridge in Bihar. Due to these two incidents, the whole country is sad as well as angry. Sadness is on the killing of innocents and anger is because these incidents have not stopped. Last June 2, 3 trains collided with each other in Odisha. About three hundred innocent passengers were killed in these and don’t know how many thousand were injured. The accident is one of the deadliest rail accidents ever in India. The first train was believed to have derailed and some of its coaches overturned and fell into the opposite track, where they collided with the second train. A goods train was also hit in the accident. Look, anyone would agree that some or the other accident is happening every moment somewhere in the world. In this fast-paced life, this may be unheard of, but it is happening, so it is happening. Actually ‘Zero Accident’ is an ideal is a goal. But, it is impossible to achieve. The need is that accidents should be minimized. Apart from this, how soon proper help should be provided to the victims of the accident.
It is often seen in rail accidents that onlookers stand there before government help, doctors, nurses, accident relief trains, helicopters, leaders. They also hinder rescue operations. Yes, among these sensible people also come to help some of the injured in a hurry. He also helps from his heart. They give their lives. While the onlookers are only obstructing the work of those helping there and making videos from their mobiles.
In the meanwhile, also know one thing that it is difficult to reach the state of zero accident but it is not impossible. Where do train accidents not happen? Rail accidents happen in every country of the world. But they should be stopped. Efforts are also made in this regard. But you don’t get success. Will talk about the July 2011 train accident in China. In fact, 40 passengers were killed when two high-speed trains collided head-on in the Chinese city of Wenzuo. 172 people were also injured in this train accident. Soon after the accident, China’s Railway Minister was removed from his post. The new Railway Minister reached the spot and took over the relief and rescue work. After this the accident was investigated.
In the investigation of the train accident, it was found that the accident happened due to a fault in the railway signal system. Further investigation found that the railway minister and officials had indulged in corruption in awarding the contract for the signal system. For this, the safety of the train and passengers was even compromised. Due to this the accident happened and the passengers had to lose their lives.
However, a CBI inquiry has begun to ascertain the cause of the Odisha train accident. Those responsible for this should also get life imprisonment or death sentence. The investigation should be completely fair and transparent. In this context, no one should get any kind of concession.
Now let us turn to the accident that took place in Bhagalpur district in Bihar. Everyone knows that a big bridge being built over the river Ganga collapsed. One of its slabs had also collapsed a year back. Strict action should have been taken at the same time, which was not done for some reason. This bridge is being constructed on the river Ganga between Aguwani-Sultanganj of Khagaria. But the construction of the bridge fell prey to corruption. As a result of this, this bridge fell into the river Ganga. Three pillars of the bridge also got submerged in the river. Now this case will also be investigated. This is the second time the bridge has collapsed. It was just a matter of luck that the work had stopped at that time when the accident happened. Because of this there was no laborer on the bridge. As the bridge fell into the Ganges like a house of cards, waves several feet high rose in the river. Here too, action should be taken against the culprits under the same rules as those responsible for the train accident.
See, now the country should not compromise on the issue of corruption. Corruption and indolence are eating the country like termites. Whoever is caught doing corruption or is lazy in his work should be hanged straight away. After all, how long will the country continue to adopt humane attitude towards corrupt and useless people. This can’t go on. There must be an end to this. On the question of corruption, the country will have to follow the policy of zero tolerance. We don’t have any other option. Last year, the bridge was broken in Morbi district of Gujarat. More than 300 people were present on the bridge at the time of the accident. This 233 meter long bridge was about hundred years old. Many people had lost their lives in the accident. Most of whom were women and children. Know that until the country does not show strictness in the cases of corruption, such fatal accidents will continue to happen.
If we move away from these matters, then due to corruption, loans worth thousands of crores of our public sector banks got stuck. After the Modi government came to power at the center, when there was a meaningful initiative to stop the anarchy and disorder prevailing in the banking sector for a long time, scams started getting exposed one after the other. The banking system runs on credit only. If there is no credit, then what will be saved? In fact, the black business of providing loans in reverse has been going on in the banks. Some bank employees also got trapped in the name of getting loans. Since earlier there was no such accountability, all-round loot continued. It has to be accepted that corruption is the main reason for everything from rail accidents to bridge collapses. That’s why it has to be hurt.
(The author is a senior editor, columnist and former parliamentarian.)
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