Indian Express
Sign In | Register Now
Newsletter | ePaper
Indian Express >  Op-Ed > 

All hands on deck

Font Size
Vikram S Mehta Posted: Dec 02, 2008 at 0217 hrs IST
Related Stories: The year of unconventional thinkingThe shape of things to comeThe fundamental things applyGreasing the wheels of governmentMissionary energy
I am writing this article from my flat in Mumbai adjacent to the Oberoi Hotel. I have been confined to the flat for the past 48 hours or so and done little else than watch with mounting horror the unfolding tragedy of Mumbai. I have witnessed fires; I have listened with numbing helplessness to the cries of those trapped in their rooms many of whom were perched on edges outside to escape the billowing smoke. And I have wondered with a mix of anguish, impatience and anger why the fire department was taking so long. It has been a cathartic experience and not one that lends itself to the penning of an article.

These past few days have triggered conflicting thoughts. I have marvelled at the extraordinary courage of individuals. The stories of how the staff of the Oberoi and Taj hotels protected their guests even at considerable risk to themselves is supremely humbling. The NSG, army and the police are clearly comprised of men of dedication, determination and discipline. At the same time I have wondered at the state of our public institutions. I do not have the facts and it would be harsh to draw conclusions on the basis of visual experience. It was at least two hours after I saw the fire that the engines arrived and another hour before they pumped water into the by then charred lobby of the hotel. I am sure there are good explanations for this delay but from the vantage point of my bedroom and with the cries of the guests ringing in my ears, I could not then think of one.

Ads By Google
The Mumbai tragedy made me ask once again the perennial question. Why it is that the performance of government-controlled entities is so often less than the sum of its component individual parts? Is it lack of leadership? Is it fragmented decision-making structures that fog the lines of responsibility and accountability? Is it the political system that vests ‘hard power’ in elected officials who are simply unable to accept short-term pain for longer-term gains? I contemplated this question not so much to find an answer — the explanation has to do with all of the above and more — but because with every passing hour one saw evidence of the gap between the promise of public service and its delivery. And the tragic human and material consequences of this gap.

... contd.

Ads By Google
Post Comments
Message*
Maximum characters allowed     
 
Name* Email ID*
Subject* Country*
TERMS OF USE:
The views, opinions and comments posted are your, and are not endorsed by this website. You shall be solely responsible for the comment posted here. The website reserves the right to delete, reject, or otherwise remove any views, opinions and comments posted or part thereof. You shall ensure that the comment is not inflammatory, abusive, derogatory, defamatory &/or obscene, or contain pornographic matter and/or does not constitute hate mail, or violate privacy of any person (s) or breach confidentiality or otherwise is illegal, immoral or contrary to public policy. Nor should it contain anything infringing copyright &/or intellectual property rights of any person(s).
I agree to the terms of use.
View all Messages [ 0 ]
View all Messages [ 0 ]
Group Websites : Express India | Financial Express | Screen India | Loksatta | Kashmir Live | Biz Publications
Privacy Policy | Feedback | Site MapThe Indian Express Group | Work With Us | Adverise With Us | Contact Us© 2009 Indian Express Newspapers (Mumbai) Ltd. All rights reserved
*Recipient(s) name *
*Recipient(s) e-mail address *
(Separate addresses by commas)
*Your Name *
*Your e-mail address *
Select your Country
Comments(optional)

The name(s) and e-mail address(es) you provide will
not be used for any purpose other than to inform the
recipient(s) of your identity. (*mandatory field)
 
Close