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Fire Tragedy at Kumbakonam

FIRE TRAGEDY AT KUMBAKONAM - 17 JULY 2004

The fire accident at Kumbakonam was most gruesome. The pics shown on TV were stomach-curling - one shouldn't see such macabre and ghastly pictures EVER. More than 87 small kids ..... what a tragedy. Almost all parents and would-be-parents in India would have been shocked beyond words on seeing the tragedy.

Two days of blah, blah and TV and newspapers will forget this and hop on to some other "juicy" story. Politicians will vie with one another in announcing compensations, in throwing accusations at the Govt and then go back to their routine. There will be 'impractical' ideas from intelligentsia. (Already some big expert has told that "all thatch-covered schools in TN must be closed down". To this, a former educationist has replied, 'Then you have to close down more than 75% of schools'). Another expert opines that schools should not be allowed on narrow roads !!! Wah, what an idea, as though Indian cities, towns, and villages are full of wide avenues.

There are ideas flying thick and fast from these experts - there should be at least two doors in every class room, two staircases, both wide and large, in every school etc etc. Are they not aware of the ground realities - most of the schools don't have even blackboards or benches or classrooms - why talk of doors and staircases. Come April - May, the newspapers will be full of pictures of X class students sitting on the floor and writing their Board Exams (that too in cities like Chennai & Hyderabad!!)

Whatever, the lives of those innocent little buds have been needlessly lost - our deep condolences to all parents. Please join me in praying for those kids.

Long live our Corruption and Apathy.

rajappa
17 jul 2004

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