The fire in Jaipur’s SMS Hospital ICU that has claimed several lives is yet another example of India’s poor maintenance culture. It begins, of course, with inadequate regulations and their lax enforcement. Part of the reason for this is corruption – officials are happy to take bribes to look the other way – but also a lack of understanding on why the regulations are necessary in the first place. Owners of establishments are unwilling to employ the staff required to ensure proper maintenance in the bid to keep running costs low. It is not just about making money but also having the right priorities.
The problem also begins with taking short cuts in the construction of buildings, with necessary safety measures not being built-in owing to poor appreciation of their needs. Of course, those that are installed because of regulatory necessity are rarely kept in working order – such as fire detection and suppression systems like alarms, sprinklers, hoses and hydrants. The necessary emergency exits are often blocked and staff not trained in escape procedures under well-laid out evacuation plans. Fires mostly break out due to poor or overloaded electrical connections, or where inflammable materials are stored. Regular audits are rarely conducted in-house or with the help of outside experts to identify risks.
All of these and other procedures are laid out in the National Building Code (NBC) but not much attention is paid to it. Fires can be also prevented from spreading by using fire-resistant materials and ‘compartmentalisation’ that ensure outbreaks are contained. People who visit hospitals can see for themselves this laxity almost everywhere.
Often, cautionary advice is ignored because of the belief ‘it won’t happen to us’. This is the same psychological problem that causes people to ignore safety regulations on the roads. This is why enforcement of safety regulations is required, both at government and private management levels. As many of these regulations have not evolved through Indian experience, many of them having been imported from more developed countries, Indians are having to go through the process of suffering to learn the necessary lessons. One cannot enjoy the benefits of modern technology unless one upgrades the ability to utilise them. This applies to business practices, also. Third world management cannot co-exist with first world amenities. Proper utilisation comes even before maintenance – one needs only to see how Indians use public amenities to realise that. Spitting paan is the first tribute we pay to the most modern of buildings!
