వినదగునెవ్వరు చెప్పిన.... (Hindu paper editorial on Rajahmundry tragedy)

AN AVOIDABLE TRAGEDY

"Several factors appear to have contributed to the Godavari tragedy. These include lack of proper barricading to enable pilgrims to move in single file towards the river, the failure of the authorities to guide devotees, especially those unfamiliar with the town, to more spacious ghats elsewhere, and the absence of planning for crowd management. All this indicate that even a good deal of advance preparation and elaborate security arrangements are not enough to guarantee safety at mass events unless some elementary safeguards are in place. After the Maha Kumbh Mela tragedy in 1954, Jawahar Lal Nehru asked the VIPs to stay away from such events. It was recognised  even then that the presence of VIPs puts needless pressure and strain on the administrative machinery and severely compromises optimal measures to control milling crowds. While VIPs do have a right to participate in such events, it should be ensured that their presence does not compromise the safety of the public" (17-07-2015)