Who will take the blame for Simhachalam mishap?

Hans India

02-05-2025

Visakhapatnam: Several flaws come to the fore in the wall collapse incident that took place at Simhachalam shrine during 'Chandanotsavam.'
The contractor who built the wall in a short span, the engineering officials who supervised the work in progress, the officials who oversaw the arrangements, among others, are being probed by a three-member committee constituted by the state government for the purpose.
Earlier, V Trinadha Rao was appointed as Executive Officer (EO) of Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Devasthanam by the NDA government. However, two months before the Chandanotsavam festival, he went on a long leave. Subsequently, K Subba Rao was appointed as in-charge EO of the Devasthanam. Also, D Bhramaramba was appointed as festival special officer by the state government. Despite being experienced in organising temple festivals, she refused to take the responsibility assigned to her, citing health reasons. Following which, Joint Commissioner of Endowments NVSN Murthy was appointed as the festival special officer.
What draws the attention is that Subba Rao is inexperienced in hosting temple festivals, while the chief festival officer too has no prior experience in organising Chandanotsavam. As a result, the major responsibility rested on Endowments Commissioner K Rama Chandra Mohan and district officials.
It is quite apparent that the officials focused largely on facilitating VVIPs' darshan. The 'Chandanotsavam 2025' reflects how officials miserably failed in assessing the impact of a natural calamity and evaluating its effect on the devotees who were expected to congregate in large numbers.
It is certainly not unusual to rain during Chandanotsavam. But what went beyond the officials' purview was the intensity of the downpour coupled with gales that led to the collapse of the rain-soaked wall. To undo the mistakes committed during earlier editions, the state government involved five ministers to closely monitor the arrangements of the festival a month before Chandanotsavam. The question that lingers is what would have gone wrong despite the five ministers examining the festival arrangements from close quarters, convening meetings from time to time.
Even earlier, the government was quick to form committees to investigate the incidents. Eventually, the EOs were held responsible and at the most they along with other officials would be transferred to other places.
However, the Chandanotsavam this year not only failed in several aspects but also claimed seven lives. It certainly calls for a serious scrutiny so that such incidents do not recur in future. From the contractor who built the wall in haste to the supervisors who monitored the exercise, there are several who should be made accountable for the tragic incident.
As days pass, anxiety brews over who would be held accountable for the Simhachalam wall collapse incident. In the meantime, YSRCP MLC Botcha Satyanarayana termed the incident as nothing but 'government murders'. He called for strict action against all those who are accountable for the wall collapse incident.
With the NDA government seeking a preliminary report from a three-member committee constituted for the purpose, the investigation is taking place on a fast-track mode.