Serendipity to the rescue for some villagers TNN | Feb 19, 2012, 04.50AM IST
CALVIM: The tears of sorrow would have run deeper on the Calvim island if three young students had not got off the ill-fated bus either at Mapusa or Aldona, sources said. A sudden change of mind saved the lives of Charles Fernandes, 16, and Alistair Pereira, also 16, both residents of Calvim. Both are Class XII students of St Thomas Higher Secondary School, Aldona. They had visited their institute to collect their hall tickets. Both boarded the bus at Aldona to return home, but changed their mind and got down. A middle-aged lady standing on the ferry ramp at Lankdem said her daughter was also saved under fortuitous circumstances. Her daughter had boarded the bus at Mapusa bus stand but decided to get off as it was crowded at that time. "If she had to stay on the bus I would have lost her forever," she said. But others were not so lucky. Priyal Salgaonkar, one of the student victims and a resident of Aldona, was travelling to Calvim on Saturday for a weekend stay at her uncle's place in Vainguinim, Mayem. Her uncle had informed her to cross over the Mapusa River on the 12.40 ferry. He would be waiting for her at the other end in Calvim. But he never saw her alive. This tragic incident could not cross her to Calvim and her uncle kept waiting. Being the only daughter of her parents, her father, Prakash Salgaonkar had passed away three-and-a-half years ago. Priyal would often travel to her uncle's (mothers' brother) place on weekends. However, fate had willed otherwise as she could not cross the river. A source said one of the victims may have been alive if she had stayed at home. "But her mother thought she was ill and her (mother's) absence from home would encourage her to go to play if she was left alone," the source said. She went to school and destiny willed otherwise. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Serendipity-to-the-rescue-for-some-villagers/articleshow/11945208.cms * * * When the going got tough Andrew Pereira, TNN | Feb 19, 2012, 04.49AM IST ALDONA: As the state disaster management authority failed on Saturday afternoon, the villagers of Aldona and Calvim played a major role in trying to save the lives of those trapped in the mini bus which had fallen into the Calvim River. "The disaster management authority has failed. We will inquire into the incident. I cannot make any more comments," chief secretary Sanjay Srivastava told reporters as he witnessed the rescue operations. The sound of sirens from police jeeps, ambulances and the fire brigade, blaring through the streets of Aldona saw people drop their tasks at hand, shopkeepers down their shutters at the village 'tinto', and rush towards the Lankdem ferry point. The Coast Guard helicopter which arrived at the scene brought short-lived relief. "When the diver came rapelling down a rope into the water, we thought help was at hand. But, we were shocked when he swam to the shore, had discussions with officials and left. Apparently, he had not brought his oxygen tank along for diving. By the time the helicopter returned with fully-equipped divers, a lot of crucial time was already lost," said a woman, who refused to give her name but told STOI that she was an aunt of one of the victims, Negal Gracias. "The government has failed us miserably. You mean to say we don't have good swimmers? I think they should come to Calvim. Our boys are good swimmers and will pass all the tests. It is my husband who retrieved one of the bodies. Our chief minister is not fit to sit in that position. Where is your disaster management plan?" asked the woman. "We were wondering if we were watching a mock drill when the first diver arrived without an oxygen tank, returned back to the helicopter and left," added local Oldrin Pereira. The villagers arranged for a rope, tied it to the bus and fastened the other end to a water fixture of the fire tender. Before they could begin to haul the bus out of the water, a fire brigade official halted them and said that the water fixture would break. He was rudely told by the locals that the water fixture could break, but they would continue with their job. Instead, the rope broke and the officials arranged for a cable used by the traffic police to tow vehicles. The cable snapped too. Earlier, tempers rose high between the fire brigade personnel and the locals. "The fire brigade personnel arrived and started watching the scene. Some angry locals threw off the yellow hats worn by the fire brigade personnel and demanded that they step into the water," said a local. Initially, locals allege, that even police were hesitant to step into the water. "A teacher who was present at the scene went over to the collector and handed him the phone number of a private crane operator. The government came totally unprepared," a local said. During the rescue operation, a Navy diver received an injury on his foot. But, there was no first aid at hand and he had to sit out for the remainder of the operation with a handkerchief tied to his toes to stop the bleeding. Locals were furious and pointed out to reporters that this was another indicator of how ill-prepared the government was to handle such a situation. Tensions were so high at one point that lifeguards sent by Drishti Special Response Services were abused. "Our personnel were there to help. Swift water rescue is not part of their training, but they were abused by the people. I guess people thought they were part of the administration, but our lifeguards are certainly demoralized by the incident," a senior DSRS official told STOI later. "This is a freak accident that took place. The response was there, but the nature of the incident was unfortunate," said North Goa disaster management chief and North Goa collector Mihir Vardhan. "The police had arrived immediately, but a crane had to be brought to pull the bus out. Since the people were trapped in the bus, divers were required," he said, adding that an inquiry would be conducted and strengthening of the disaster management in the state will be looked into. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/When-the-going-got-tough/articleshow/11945201.cms * * * Transport dept to inspect bus TNN | Feb 19, 2012, 04.48AM IST PANAJI: The transport department will inspect the ill-fated bus 'Shree Ganesh' on Monday to determine whether it was mechanical failure or human error that caused it to plunge into the river at the Calvim-Aldona ferry wharf, transport director Arun Desai told STOI. Reacting to criticism that the transport department allows substandard vehicles on the road thereby endangering citizens' lives, Desai said every vehicle is subjected to a fitness check after pre-determined intervals. "If the vehicles are found to be fit, they are passed, if not, we deny them clearance. It is not the case that every vehicle that comes for a fitness check is passed," Desai said. He added that a vehicle is after all, a mechanical thing and can fail anytime even if it is cleared in a fitness check. "But it is difficult for me to comment now (on 'Shree Ganesh'). We will inspect the bus on Monday. That will determine whether it was mechanical failure or human error. If it is negligence on the part of the driver, action will be taken," Desai said. Children studying in schools in Mapusa, incidentally, said the bus had broken down on its journey from Mapusa bus stand to Aldona before the tragedy took place at the ferry point on Saturday afternoon. "The bus broke down on the way and passengers waited till the problem was fixed," said a local. At the site of the tragedy, locals condemned government officials. "You people take bribes and give fitness certificates to buses like these. This bus is past its expiry date and is not road worthy," a local shouted. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Transport-dept-to-inspect-bus/articleshow/11945193.cms --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Protect Goa's natural beauty Support Goa's first Tiger Reserve Sign the petition at: http://www.goanet.org/petition/petition.php ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
