Who’ll win the blame game?

Two innocent lives versus two civic agencies. Tuesday’s incident of recovery of the bodies of Mohd Arshad (4) and Mohd Armaan (8) is yet another grim reminder of the apathy of government agencies when it comes to safety of citizens.

Two innocent lives versus two civic agencies. Tuesday’s incident of recovery of the bodies of Mohd Arshad (4) and Mohd Armaan (8) is yet another grim reminder of the apathy of government agencies when it comes to safety of citizens.

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A number of deaths have occurred this year across the city wherein people have lost lives after falling into open pits, ditches or even an open drain.

Repeatedly the agencies order inquiries and promise to take precautions. However, no concrete steps are taken.

There are scores of such incidents where the civic agencies — be it the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) or Delhi Development Authority (DDA) or the Public Works Department (PWD) — hardly bother to take safety precautions at any worksite.

“We had taken up this issue at a Bhagidaari meeting of RWAs in November last week. The officials always end up saying, ‘Yes, we will take care’ but no action is taken,” said K.K. Dutta, president of Raja Park RWA in Sultanpuri in west Delhi.

“I pointed it out to a police officer. Next day when I went there for a match at Kotla stadium, can you imagine what those fools had done? They had put up-side down tables hired from a tent house!”

In connection with today's incident, Mayor Dr Kanwar Sain however said it was an open plot of land and it was not a planned digging.

Stating that it is imperative to first ensure public safety, MCD Commissioner K.S. Mehra said, “There are standing instructions, which need to be followed in entirety.”