Ensuring accountability

Innovative, citizen-centric solutions are required to enhance accountability, avoid judicial delays and eliminate systemic complacency in order to prevent deaths resulting from administrative negligence; mites Ravindra Singh

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During this monsoon season, several precious lives were lost due to drowning and electrocution in rain water and countless people were put to difficulties due to water-logging in several towns and cities across the country including in the national capital of Delhi. The incidents occurred due to poor maintenance andl or faulty designing of the storm water channels in urban areas and thus could have been easily averted. These are not isolated cases; administrative lapses and the resultant suffering of the people is a routine matter in India. Such lapses are reported and even criticised by the media; these also become subject of public discussion, condemnation and even outbursts on certain occasions. The courts also make adverse comments and sometimes even lambast at the administrative functioning. Yet the things do not change for better. How does the administration respond? What is more pathetic is the way the administration responds even in the face of such incidents. The fact that two administrative agencies were fighting in the Delhi High Court at the time of hearing of one such case involving drowning of a mother-child duo in Delhi on the issue of jurisdiction of the place where they drowned and the place where their bodies were recovered may be just one more instance indicating the extent of administrative callosity. Initially, there is considerable uproar whenever some disaster occurs allegedly due to an administrative negligence. Every time such an incident occurs, there is media reporting, public outcry and even protests on streetsl roads by the agitated public. To pacify the charged tempers, administration wakes up and exhibits to have come in action mode. Statements like 'those responsible will not be spared) and advices to the protesters to (have faith in law, or (let the law take its own course, are some of the usual practices. Assurances of all support to the victims of the calamity and tall promises in their favour are made.