Andhra Pradesh meetings did not factor in stampede

Hyderabad: The state government had started putting things in place for the Pushkaralu almost eight months back. Periodic reviews were conducted, appointments made, funds released and visits made. But not once, during the review meetings held in the Secretariat or at Rajahmundry, was crowd management discussed, especially if a stampede-like situation occurred.

Official sources said it should have been done considering that these are Maha Pushkarams. The review meetings were confined to general arrangements like travel, lodging, roads, makeshift rooms, renovation of temples etc., said officials. The very first thing to ensure while planning such massive events is to avoid stampedes and put in place necessary medical help at hand. Neither was done. There were no ambulances near most of the ghats, said Krishna Mohan Vallurupalli, a Rajahmundry lawyer.

Government sources said bureaucrats should have kept past stampedes at similar events in mind and taken adequate measures. Several ministers including Chinna Rajappa, Palle Raghunath Reddy and Parakala Prabhakar, the media advisor and in-charge of one of the main committees, had reiterated that all arrangements were in place. But they had hardly mentioned crowd management.

On one occasion, CM N. Chandrababu Naidu had spent six hours reviewing arrangements, but there was no discussion on how to prevent a stampede-like situation and what to do if one took place. An official said, “The government wanted to enhance its profile by conducting the Pushkarams in a grand manner and ignored basic aspects.”