By D N Singh
The screams of over 50 children who died among others must be resonating in the vicinity of Morbi and it has echoed all over the country.
But it is going to be evident in a few days that, its moral fall out is soon going to be lost in the dins of the campaigns for the coming election. It is hardly expected that, the emotionally drained families who fell victim to the tragedy can ever escape the isolating precipice of pain.
Lessons are taken from mistakes by chance or otherwise but, when mistakes are committed with eyes closed to the realities, are called crimes. Killing of 140 odd innocent people, including over 40 children, the culprits cannot be given to repent but should be meted with exemplary punishment.
What happened in Morbi was a collective criminality of some official agencies and the coldblooded complacency those pumped in the unscrupulous wits leading to such a bloodbath.
The recent Morbi bridge tragedy that claimed over 140 lives points to gross negligence of Morbi Nagar palika as it handed over the renovation contract to an agency without due diligence, says a Bridge Structural Engineer expert.
Taking on century-old vagaries
The British-era bridge was built 143 years ago based on wind and live load of that time and earthquake resistance.
“The nagar palika was duty-bound to carry out structural analysis before giving out the renovation contract. Also, it should have taken into consideration the wind & live load, steel structure, load test, and stability test. Based on these data, it should have assessed and prepared a structural design meeting present and the future requirement and then placed an order for the renovation, which meets the Bureau of Indian Standards for Building structures. That was an anonymous version of a Nagar Palika officer quoted by a media house.
Even the water salinity issue should have been taken into account. Over a period of time, the bridge would have undergone several changes, hence even the minutest of things should have been considered as every factor matters in bridge design and construction.
Citing the SA’s Tacoma narrow bridge collapse in 1940, another expert said that was the first suspension bridge tragedy. It failed to withstand the 40 miles per hour wind velocity. Even when the bridge was under construction, in a little breeze, ripples were running along the bridge.
Coming back to the Morbi bridge, the expert said while redesigning the suspension bridge, the nagar palika seems to have ignored the Indian standards (IS) for earthquake (seismic load), IS 875 for wind loads on buildings, IS 800 general code for steel structure. Also, it should have carried out live and dead load, erection stresses.
Was the DM in slumber of eminence !
Even if the Nagar Palika remains the fall guy, but the district administration cannot absolve itself of its moral and mandatory official role or responsibility at all.
How could such an assignment be envisaged solely by the Municipality without a thread-bare discussion with the district head, i.e the Collector.
When asked to issue certificates for bridges constructed by the government or semi government agencies, he personally carries out load and stability tests, only after verifying that standards are met, does he issue certificates, the expert stated.
Was this followed in the Morbi bridge case? today every body wonders.
