r2i forum

Very Sad news.

http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/sabarimala-stampede-100-devotees-feared-killed-90-injured-79416

shell;361977Very Sad news.

http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/sabarimala-stampede-100-devotees-feared-killed-90-injured-79416

Sad, true. But what do you want to discuss? The stampede, the dead, the Indian temples, or stupidity of Religion?

I wonder, Is it really so difficult to avoid stampede situations ?

sid_earth;361982Sad, true. But what do you want to discuss? The stampede, the dead, the Indian temples, or stupidity of Religion?

[QUOTE]He that the stampede occurred after a bus accident which cause panic among the devotees.Probably want to focus on height of error by editor of this news channel.

returning_indian;361987Probably want to focus on height of error by editor of this news channel.

Should we discuss the height in cms or inches?

It is a sad and tragic incident.

shell;361986I wonder, Is it really so difficult to avoid stampede situations ?

Yes. It is difficult to avoid stampede situations.

Its a complex issue. There have been several stampedes and such disasters here. Still no hospital at Sabarimala when there is so much revenue. Injured still need to go to Kottayam medical college. http://www.rediff.com/news/1999/jan/16sabar.htm
Another issue is that the temple is in the middle of Periyar wildlife sanctuary. The deaths would make one say screw the forests and build a hospital, good roads/rail link etc.

One of our members - Kirks was planning to go there this year, hope he is doing fine.

Looks like there are conflicting reports:

one says bus accident, other says jeep rammed into crowd.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/accident-near-sabarimala-over-40-feared-dead/140510-3.html
http://www.rediff.com/news/report/sabarimala-pilgrims-dead-in-mishap/20110114.htm

GutsyGibbon;361993Its a complex issue. There have been several stampedes and such disasters here. Still no hospital at Sabarimala when there is so much revenue. Injured still need to go to Kottayam medical college. http://www.rediff.com/news/1999/jan/16sabar.htm
Another issue is that the temple is in the middle of Periyar wildlife sanctuary. The deaths would make one say screw the forests and build a hospital, good roads/rail link etc.

One of our members - Kirks was planning to go there this year, hope he is doing fine.

KirKs came back already. I did talk to him on 13th (he was in Bangalore).

This happened on the return path from Sabarimala in the forest roads rather than close to the main temple. The route to the temple is actually well manned by police who control number of people entering etc.
I dont think its just a simple issue of blaming the police or the govt etc. Bus drivers/ individual drivers etc really need some basic lessons on road etiquette.
There are far too many visitors to Sabarimala. For the number who dies in stampede, there will be a fairly significant number each year who die due to heart attacks there as well. We just dont value human life adequately here.
Our institute has a hospital at Pampa with a telelink facility and they send doctors each year throughout the season to man for emergencies. But in the midst of the forest where the actual problems occured there's probably no helath facility close by.
What a tragedy- One more like the Kumbh mela etc. WHen are we going have planning in place for disaster? Seriously address potential health and safety issues?