The injured have been rushed to the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH). Some of the injured are badly injured and their condition is still critical. Authentic sources informed to KBC that 20 bodies have been brought to the hospital. Local people have repeatedly been accusing the district administration of doing nothing for Chhath.
The bridge was constructed to take devotees to the river Ganga which has shifted further north. Over four lakh people from Patna and nearby areas gathered at different ghats here for Chhath celebration. The accident exposed the arrangements made by the administration for Chhath. In fact, it raises question over the concern of administration and government for the valuable lives of common people. The News channels reported that the makeshift bridge was showing sign of caving in on the Monday morning itself but no effort was made to prevent the devotees from passing through it.
Without taking lesson from the past both the ruling NDA government and opposition parties like Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Lok Janashakti Party (LJP) are much interested in playing blame game. Although Chief minister Nitish Kumar has announced to set up enquiry and compensation of 2 lakh for the families of victims, but this is not going to make any difference. Until and unless the administration and government take any lesson from past such incidents may happen in future at any place of Bihar.
Need of the hour is that government should respect the lives of people residing in different parts of the state and make proper arrangements for such occasions in which thousands and lakhs of people gather. At the same time, the political parties and its leaders should raise their bars and come forward to console the grieving families instead of doing cheap politics.
