Madhukar Sanap PhD Scholar, JTCDM, TISS, Mumbai

ROUND TABLE ON

“MASS GATHERING AND RISK OF STAMPEDE”

April 25th & 26th 2014

JT Center for Disatser Management, TISS,

Mumbai

Human stampedes most often occur during religious pilgrimages, professional sporting, music events, rallys, protests, break down out systems, natural & man-made disasters, etc as these events tend to involve a large number of people. They also often occur in times of mass panic as people try to get away.

“We learn from history that we do not learn from history”

Major Stampedes in India:

Stampedes during Kumbh Mela:

1954 Kumbh mela Stampede

1996 Ujjain and Haridwar

stampedes

2003 Kumbh Mela stampede in

Nashik (39 killed)

2010 Kumbh Mela in Haridwar (7

killed)

2013 Kumbh Mela stampede in

Allahabad (36 killed)

Ratangarh Mata Temple

Stampede (MP)

2006 Ratangarh Mata Temple

(56 died)

2013 Ratangarh Mata Temple

(115 died)

Sabarimala Stampede (Kerala)

1999 – Sabarimala Temple

(Kerala) (53 died)

2011 - Sabarimala Temple

(Kerala) (116 died)

2005 Chennai stampede

November 2005 – Chennai

(relief distribution to flood affected people)

December 2005 – Chennai (tokan

for relief measures distribution)

Stampedes In

Maharashtra

1994 – Gowari

Stampede, Napur

2005 –Mandher Devi

Temple, Wai Satara

2013 - Tuljabhavani

temple, Osmanabad

2014 - Spiritual leader

Syedna's funeral

Kumbh Melas (2003 &

2013)

1992 - Mahamaham Stampede

1997 - Uphaar Cinema Fire

2006 – Orrissa Temple

2008 - stampedes in the Naina Devi Temple

in Himachal Pradesh,

2008 - Chamunda Devi temple in Jodhpur,

2009 – New Delhi (5 School girls died)

2010 - stampede in the Janki Temple in

Pratapgarh and

2012 – Satsanga Deoghar

Many Stampedes at Lord Jagannath Temple

Some Facts..........

India has a long history of stampede tragedies

Human stampedes have been identified as a major hazard that could occur during mass gathering

Numbers of stampedes have been reported in India especially due to the unmanageable mass gathering during festivals, religious locations, public protests, political rallies, etc.

But also the reality is that these mass gathering has become a way of life in India

Some of our current Legislations....

In India there are various legal provisions to regulate and manage crowd

Disaster Management Act 2005,

The Bombay Police Act, 1951

The Police Act 1861,

Madras City Police Act 1888,

Kerala Police Act 2011,

UP Melas Act 1938,

Cinematograph Act 1952, and

Delhi Cinematograph Rules 1953.

Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporation Act. 1949

Any many others

Authority:

Event Management will abide by all applicable legislations / regulations / norms

including Safety, Health and Welfare, licensing requirement of indoor /outdoor

events, Fire Services (responsibility for fire safety on persons in control of

premises), Waste Management etc. (NDMA Guidelines)

Judgements of High Courts .......

Uphaar Cinema Tragedy (Delhi High Court Judgment, II (2003) ACC 114, 2003 ACJ 1631, 2003 IIIAD Delhi 321)

Dabwali Fire tragedy (Decision of Punjab-Haryana High Court, 2009; Civil Writ Petition No. 13214 of 1996)

Kumbh Mela Stampede, Nashik (the Magisterial Enquiry Report)

Shri Kalubai Yatra Mandhardev at Wai, Satara, Maharashtra (Justice Rajan Kochar Commission of inquiry )

Sabarimala Tragedy (Justice Chandrasekhara Menon Commission of Inquiry - 1999)

After each incidents there has been Magisterial Enquiries and there detail report has been submitted to concern State Government

Gaps in understanding the causes / Triggers ..........

Structural collapses

Fire/Electricity

Crowd Control

Crowd Behaviour

Security related issuesand

Lack of coordination between various line department and other stakeholders

Risk Analysis and Preparedness

Prevention is better than cure

Identify threats/causes

Risk Assessment and Planning

Overall location Development Plan (long term perspectives, Staging points (queue complex), multiple routes)

Information Management and Dissemination system

Safety and Security Measures (role of security agencies)

Effective use of early warning system

Logistic, Transportation and Traffic Management

No back up plans and compliance checking these things will continue to happen

Planning is the key

Need to know on advance

the size of the crowd,

the capacity of the event,

not just the size of the area but the capacity to manage that crowd,

Crowd stewards, (position of the role one who is in charge )

monitoring potential changes in crowd behavior, and

having sufficient entry and exit points are all crucial to maintaining a safe event

Analyses stampede data from religious, entertainment and political gatherings over

the last few decades in India to derive an

Effective risk reduction framework for mass gatherings & Prioritizes

This further prioritizes on

1. ‘Ensure that crowd risk management is a priority with a strong

institutional basis for implementation’.

2. ‘To identify, assess and monitor crowd risks and enhance early

warning systems along with ensuring other safety measures.

3. Use of knowledge, innovation and education to build a culture of

safety and resilience at all levels, reduce the underlying risk factors.

4. Strengthen disaster risk (possible stampedes risk) Preparedness for

effective response at all levels. and

5. Ensuring effective governance and better institutional arrangements

through Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)/ICS matter to crowd

risks, more effective disaster preparedness, setting up of early

warning systems and crowd risk management policy.

Efficient functioning of command and control is single

most important component of Crowd Management

WE HAVE LEGISLATIONS, PLANS, HUMAN RESOURCES,

FUND but still Vulnerable to RISK

Ensuring effective governance and better institutional

arrangements are the key of Planning