The Hindu Editorial ( january 30 , 2025)
Death After the surge : On the stampede at the Maha Kumbh.
The Kumbh stampede could have been avoided with better measure.
The stampede at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj , Uttar Pradesh – the third such incident in recent month – confirms India’s dubious distinction of having the most number of death during religious gatherings . While the day’s developments have not yielded conclusive reasons for the stampede that happened in the early hours of january 29 , initial investigations suggest an uncontrolled surge of devotee at the bathing ghats . The Uttarpradesh government had estimated that a hundred milions people would have their holy dips on MAUNI AMAVASHYA , an auspicious occasion which fell on january 29 , according to government estimates , more than a third of those who were expected has performed the rituals early – 36 milions people by 10 a.m. – despite temprory closures of the roads leading to prayagraj after the stampede . This measure of regulating traffic into the city could have been proactively implemented , ensuring a steady and managable stream of devotees ,as the government was wll aware of a surge in number . This focus , Unsurprisingly , is again on the lack of crowd management and the priotisation of VIP visitors over the common man .
What has been even more alarming was the state government ‘s delay in formally announcing the fatalities and those injured – 30 dead and over 60 injured – deviating from established protocols of transparency during disaster .It is reminiscent of the opacity of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and his government after the widespread deaths during the second covid -19 wave in March 2021 , the scale of which was evident late when horrific image of bodies floating in the Ganga emerged . this is the six stampede in the Kumbh in past 70 years and event that takes place every three years at one of the four holy sites for Hindus , at Prayagraj , Haridwar , Nasik and Ujjain . While the reasons for each stampede have been different , they still point to either a lack of fire safety , crowd mismanagement and VIPs disruptions or creaking infrastructure .
They also indicates a post – facto treatment of the cause and a disregard for holistic planning . The state government has been most innovative in managing the 45 day long MAHA KUMBH , with aerial surveillance and a tracking of mobile movements to moniter people . It is also an unpredictable achievement to even attempt to handle a population ,although transitionary , that a twice that of uttar pradesh ‘s between january 13 and february 26 when the Maha Kumbh ends . The Hindu has reported on the arrangments for the 65 kilometers temporary district around the Triveni Sangam . But the confluence itself is only about a km in diameter , requiring constant vigil and steady crowd management .
Source ; The Hindu . January 30 . 2025
