Deluge of despair

Divya Sharma
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, October 20

Friday night was probably the longest one the city residents waded through. The tragedy that unfolded at Joda Phatak leaving over 60 dead didn’t let most of the residents sleep as, after extending a helping hand immediately after the mishap, they waited eagerly for the Saturday dawn to pitch in with whatever they could.

Wails of kin of the mishap victims reverberated around the hospitals throughout the night. The city witnessed medical students reaching hospitals, doctors volunteering for free treatment, and a constant exchange of messages, names and numbers of volunteers along with helpline numbers through social media. People from nearby villages also reached the city to extend help to the victims. Members of the Star Royal Club, Chabal village, reached the Civil Hospital offering blood donation. SGPC teams turned up with ‘langar’ at hospitals for patients, attendants, policemen and other officials on duty.

“Our team reached the hospital to ascertain the requirements. We brought water and fruits. We are arranging ambulances to ferry bodies to their final destination,” said Kulwant Singh, a volunteer of the United Sikhs, an NGO.

The Municipal Corporation (MC) installed stalls of eatables. District legal authorities offered legal services. Seenu Arora, president, Voice of Amritsar, said, “We donated blood at Guru Nanak Dev Hospital. We are always there to support people.”

Social activist Swaraj Grover said, “It is dreadful. The entire city is in a state of shock. This is the time for us to stand for one another. I went to meet victims. The authorities should have been more careful.”

“I have come to donate blood for the needy, ” said Amit Kumar, a businessman, along with his cousin Prince.

“I am here with my batch mates since 8 am. It has been a chilling experience,” said Navpreet Kaur, a student of a nursing college, near Amritsar.

Anger mounts

Residents questioned the arrangements made by the authorities concerned. “I am disappointed with the administration authorities. They should have been more careful. My heart goes out to the families of the victims,” said Prabhjot Kaur, librarian,at the district library.

Indu Arora, executive member of an NGO, Voice of Amritsar (VOA), said, “Why does the district administration give permission for burning of multiple effigies on the day? It is one of the biggest mishappenings.”

“The administration has to be careful for such events. This festival has been politicised over the years. The incident has left me shocked.”

Jatinder Kaur, veteran Punjabi actress, said, “It is a failure of the system. For certain classes, such events are the only source of entertainment. The government must have been careful. Leaders must work for the people instead of playing blame game. The organisers are the main culprits.”

Suneet Kochhar, chairman, Assocham, Punjab, said, “The entire city is in shock. Lessons are to be learnt. Human safety has to be the priority while holding public events. Loss of a life is irrespirable. Others might move on after a few days, but kin of victims are the real suffers.”

Dr PK Sharma, Principal, Hindu College, said, “Special grounds must be kept for such events.”

Helplines

• The administration has issued a helpline number 0183-2421050.  Blood donation helpline numbers of  the Guru Nanak Dev Hospital and the Civil Hospital are 0183-2223171 and 2564485.
• For free plastic surgery of victims, Dr Vikas Gupta, a surgeon from the CMC, Ludhiana, can be contacted on 9814457148, and Dr Paryesh Gupta can be reached at 98760-90648.
• Free services to help people deal with the post-traumatic stress can be availed at Bhatia Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital (drug and alcohol treatment) the contact number of which is 9814070700.