Lindsay Pereira: The criminals live among us

If the deaths in the December 19 blaze had prompted BMC to launch a crackdown a week ago, those who perished at Kamala Mills may well have been alive today

If you have lived in Bombay long enough, you know the drill by now: first comes a massive, completely preventable tragedy caused by greed, corruption and government apathy. If a few people die, the people supposedly in charge initiate an inquiry. No one knows what happens to the thousands of inquiries initiated every year, because it doesn't seem as if the people meant to read them ever do, but the probes are initiated, nonetheless. If a large number of people die, there's a ruckus. Political parties talk about corruption, some officers are suspended and a couple of them are transferred. Then, when things quiet down, the inquiries are shelved, the people suspended start private companies and the ones transferred probably come back, for all we know. Because, obviously, we never know, do we?

Five civic officials were reportedly suspended after 14 people died and 55 were injured at the Kamala Mills fire. A ward officer was transferred and a detailed inquiry was initiated. This was followed by the formation of teams to ensure all restaurants were fire safety compliant for the New Year celebrations. The Shiv Sena spoke at length about the lethargic attitude of administrations across the world towards issues of fire safety, conveniently exonerating its own BMC in the process because 'if they don't care in the First World, why should we in the Third World?'

Other political parties have spoken about how premises should have fire escape routes, staircases and open spaces unencumbered by encroachments - things most children would be able to point out, but also things that no one who works at the BMC seems to understand unless a few people die while waiting for them to get it. There is no point talking about the alleged nexus between civic officers, employees and business owners, because it permeates every aspect of our public lives, affecting not just what we eat or how we travel, but how we are treated at institutions responsible for our healthcare. It is a nexus that exists because the hypocrites pointing fingers at the owners of those premises at Kamala Mills actively encourage its existence.

Here's another thing that ought to worry us, but doesn't. This wasn't the only tragedy last month. On December 19, 12 workers were killed and one injured after a fire broke out at what was said to be an illegal snack stall at Sakinaka. According to journalists who spoke to locals in the vicinity, the commercial unit being run from the structure had been set up over a year and a half ago. Officials promptly initiated another of those mysterious inquiries into how it had been allowed to function. If the deaths of those poor labourers had prompted the BMC to initiate a crackdown a week ago, those who perished at Kamala Mills may well have been alive today.

Blaming businessmen and establishments is easy, because our government spends more time looking for scapegoats than it does for solutions. Restaurant licences are routinely issued by the BMC's health department to anyone who has a No-Objection Certificate from the fire department a fact that lays the bl­a­me at the feet of those officers who issued those certificates and licences without worrying about whether or not regulations were being followed. Apparently, the place where this fire started didn't have a functional fire-fighting system or fire exits. How, then, were those licences and certificates issued in the first place?

On February 14, 2016, a massive fire brought down a stage at the much-publicised Make in India event in Chowpatty. It brought an enormous amount of negative publicity which, for any government that cared, would have been enough to take the issue of fire safety seriously. Instead, there were all kinds of theories put forth after the event from firecrackers set off without permission, to a short circuit, gas leak and, ridiculously enough, the possibility of sabotage. The chief minister took time off from routine ribbon-cutting exercises to order a 'comprehensive inquiry.' He also spoke about a detailed disaster management plan that had been kept ready.

The BMC spent much of last week on a demolition drive that covered 314 locations across the city. That's 314 locations that ought to and could have been pulled up at any time during the year (by people paid with our taxes to do a job) but weren't. In a country that cared, those employees wouldn't have just been sacked; they would have been jailed. Unfortunately, because our lives are cheap, they will all live to be apathetic another day.

When he isn't ranting about all things Mumbai, Lindsay Pereira can be almost sweet. He tweets @lindsaypereira. Send your feedback to mailbag@mid-day.com

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, current affairs from Mumbai, local news, crime news and breaking headlines here

Download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get updates on all the latest and trending stories on the go