The tragedy of a three-year-old girl who drowned in rainwater that had collected outside her home in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad highlights the risks of severe waterlogging during heavy rainfall in the monsoon season.
The deadly event has again highlighted the lack of urban drainage facilities and the importance of public safety accountability.
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What exactly has happened?
The child was playing by her house in Vijay Nagar, when she fell in the rainwater that had gathered outside the house after the heavy rains, according to Hindustan Times.
Family members hurried to her aid and rushed her to a nearby hospital where she was pronounced dead. The police have lodged a case and have started legal proceedings.
The incident happened after days of torrential rain had left Ghaziabad and the other areas of the NCR area completely waterlogged, causing hazardous conditions and disrupting the daily life of the people.
Was it a preventable tragedy?
Improved stormwater management and safer neighbourhood drainage infrastructure are now being discussed as possible factors in preventing accidents like the one that resulted in the child’s death.
Poor and unmaintained drains, waterlogged areas and roads pose unseen dangers, especially in the monsoon season, and urban planners have repeatedly stated that they are to be fixed.
Post heavy rain, water stays stagnant due to serious deficiencies in civic planning and maintenance. This shortcoming causes unfortunate accidents like the one from Ghaziabad.
The incident highlights the need of efficient drainage systems, regular desilting of drains, timely removal of water logging from drains and setting up safety barriers in the vulnerable residential areas. During heavy rain, even shallow puddles can be hazardous and public safety measures have to be taken to the extreme.
A need of greater civic preparedness
The incident follows scores of accidents in Ghaziabad involving waterlogging and collapse of roads during the rains, further making the city prone to rain-related tragedies.The incident has come after several rain-related accidents, including road cave-ins and waterlogging, were reported across Ghaziabad, leading to renewed focus on preparedness efforts during the monsoon season. The residents have also raised their concerns on the frequent occurrence of floods although monsoon drills are conducted every year.
They believe that upgrading the town’s drainage and emergency response systems and holding civic bodies accountable for their operations is key to avoiding future such disasters.
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FAQs
Q1: Where did the incident occur?
The accident took place in the Vijay Nagar area of Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh.
Q2: Why has the incident sparked concern?
It has highlighted concerns over poor urban drainage, waterlogging and public safety accountability during the monsoon.