Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08KOLKATA22
2008-01-18 09:47:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Consulate Kolkata
Cable title:
INDIAN STATE CRISIS MANAGEMENT NEEDS WORK
how-toVZCZCXRO5871 PP RUEHBI RUEHCI DE RUEHCI #0022/01 0180947 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P R 180947Z JAN 08 FM AMCONSUL KOLKATA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1834 INFO RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 1730 RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 0789 RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 0794 RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 0524 RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 0521 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 0423 RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 2245
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KOLKATA 000022
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV SOCI IN
SUBJECT: INDIAN STATE CRISIS MANAGEMENT NEEDS WORK
REF: A) KOLKATA 16, B) KOLKATA 14, C) KOLKATA 17
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KOLKATA 000022
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV SOCI IN
SUBJECT: INDIAN STATE CRISIS MANAGEMENT NEEDS WORK
REF: A) KOLKATA 16, B) KOLKATA 14, C) KOLKATA 17
1. (SBU) Summary: Whether it is a fire that burns uncontrolled
for five days, investigating explosions or containing avian
influenza, recent disasters in W. Bengal highlight the poor
quality of the GOWB's approach to crisis management. A lack of
organization and a seeming disregard for the seriousness of
these events characterizes the official response. This string
of recent administrative blunders is symptomatic of the weak
governance that persists in much of India at the state level.
End Summary
--------------
Eternal Flames
--------------
2. (SBU) On January 12, eastern India's largest wholesale
garments market at Burrabazar, located in an illegal 14-story
building, caught fire. It took 90 hours of firefighting to
bring the blaze under control and prevent its spread to
neighboring buildings. A scarcity of water, allegations of
illegal construction of several stories of the building and the
corruption of municipal authorities and traders, as well as
protests by shop-owners against plans to demolish parts of the
structure marked the chaotic response to the crisis. On January
16, Bengal Area Commander Major General Anand Mohan Verma told
ConGen that Indian Army fire fighters were asked to assist in
providing some equipment and command and control to the chaotic
effort of putting out the flames. An added difficulty was
frequent "disaster tourism" by local VIPs to the troubled area.
The GOWB announced plans to form an expert committee to
investigate the incident, while the Kolkata Municipal
Corporation is yet to produce a final report on the fire and is
planning to have structural engineers assess the building's
condition.
--------------
Perpetual Investigation
--------------
3. (SBU) Three days later and authorities are no closer to
explaining the cause of an explosion on January 16 on a main
street 200 meters from the Consulate (reftel A). The gas and
electric companies have completed their digging around to locate
possible accidental causes but have found no evidence of leaks
or faulty wiring. The police are now suggesting methane from
the sewers as a possible cause of the explosion. Post's FSN-I
went to the scene after local police departed and did itemizer
swipes (explosive material detection) on the tree and railings
affected by the explosion. All came back negative for compounds
in the standard itemizer scan. The West Bengal Police (WBP)
bomb squad also had negative results with their "sniffer" (both
canine and electronic) and they have ruled out a bomb as the
cause of the explosion.
4. (SBU) Jurisdictional responsibility for investigating the
explosion is complicating matters. The WBP was given initial
jurisdiction and they were not receptive to any outside offers
of investigative assistance. According to the WB Criminal
Investigations Department (CID) the Kolkata Police (KP) now has
been given lead authority on the investigation.
--------------
Bird Flu Fallout
--------------
5. (SBU) AI: As described in reftels B and C, the GOWB
response to the Avian Influenza outbreak in the state has been
inadequate. Culling operations targeted at 350,000 birds has so
far only culled 25,000. GOWB officials took nearly 10 days to
realize that dead birds needed to be tested for the H5N1 virus
and not some other disease. Public awareness campaigns about
AI, if they were conducted at all, have been ineffective as
villagers have smuggled birds away from affected areas and
loiter around dead birds in the infected zones. Post is
continuing to send in daily reports, as it appears the AI is
spreading in the state.
6. (SBU) Comment: Poor inter-departmental coordination, a
plodding chain of command, and a default tendency to deflect
responsibility characterize the GOWB officials' approach to
crisis. While India is heralded as a rising commercial and
international power, a week of bungles and snafus by state
officials in West Bengal is a strong reminder of the limited
institutional capacities of many Indian state governments. The
GOWB's limitations are not unique. Other states in India's
eastern region are equally challenged in providing government
KOLKATA 00000022 002 OF 002
services - the GOWB only seems less fortunate in having a series
of very public embarrassments in such a short period of time.
JARDINE
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV SOCI IN
SUBJECT: INDIAN STATE CRISIS MANAGEMENT NEEDS WORK
REF: A) KOLKATA 16, B) KOLKATA 14, C) KOLKATA 17
1. (SBU) Summary: Whether it is a fire that burns uncontrolled
for five days, investigating explosions or containing avian
influenza, recent disasters in W. Bengal highlight the poor
quality of the GOWB's approach to crisis management. A lack of
organization and a seeming disregard for the seriousness of
these events characterizes the official response. This string
of recent administrative blunders is symptomatic of the weak
governance that persists in much of India at the state level.
End Summary
--------------
Eternal Flames
--------------
2. (SBU) On January 12, eastern India's largest wholesale
garments market at Burrabazar, located in an illegal 14-story
building, caught fire. It took 90 hours of firefighting to
bring the blaze under control and prevent its spread to
neighboring buildings. A scarcity of water, allegations of
illegal construction of several stories of the building and the
corruption of municipal authorities and traders, as well as
protests by shop-owners against plans to demolish parts of the
structure marked the chaotic response to the crisis. On January
16, Bengal Area Commander Major General Anand Mohan Verma told
ConGen that Indian Army fire fighters were asked to assist in
providing some equipment and command and control to the chaotic
effort of putting out the flames. An added difficulty was
frequent "disaster tourism" by local VIPs to the troubled area.
The GOWB announced plans to form an expert committee to
investigate the incident, while the Kolkata Municipal
Corporation is yet to produce a final report on the fire and is
planning to have structural engineers assess the building's
condition.
--------------
Perpetual Investigation
--------------
3. (SBU) Three days later and authorities are no closer to
explaining the cause of an explosion on January 16 on a main
street 200 meters from the Consulate (reftel A). The gas and
electric companies have completed their digging around to locate
possible accidental causes but have found no evidence of leaks
or faulty wiring. The police are now suggesting methane from
the sewers as a possible cause of the explosion. Post's FSN-I
went to the scene after local police departed and did itemizer
swipes (explosive material detection) on the tree and railings
affected by the explosion. All came back negative for compounds
in the standard itemizer scan. The West Bengal Police (WBP)
bomb squad also had negative results with their "sniffer" (both
canine and electronic) and they have ruled out a bomb as the
cause of the explosion.
4. (SBU) Jurisdictional responsibility for investigating the
explosion is complicating matters. The WBP was given initial
jurisdiction and they were not receptive to any outside offers
of investigative assistance. According to the WB Criminal
Investigations Department (CID) the Kolkata Police (KP) now has
been given lead authority on the investigation.
--------------
Bird Flu Fallout
--------------
5. (SBU) AI: As described in reftels B and C, the GOWB
response to the Avian Influenza outbreak in the state has been
inadequate. Culling operations targeted at 350,000 birds has so
far only culled 25,000. GOWB officials took nearly 10 days to
realize that dead birds needed to be tested for the H5N1 virus
and not some other disease. Public awareness campaigns about
AI, if they were conducted at all, have been ineffective as
villagers have smuggled birds away from affected areas and
loiter around dead birds in the infected zones. Post is
continuing to send in daily reports, as it appears the AI is
spreading in the state.
6. (SBU) Comment: Poor inter-departmental coordination, a
plodding chain of command, and a default tendency to deflect
responsibility characterize the GOWB officials' approach to
crisis. While India is heralded as a rising commercial and
international power, a week of bungles and snafus by state
officials in West Bengal is a strong reminder of the limited
institutional capacities of many Indian state governments. The
GOWB's limitations are not unique. Other states in India's
eastern region are equally challenged in providing government
KOLKATA 00000022 002 OF 002
services - the GOWB only seems less fortunate in having a series
of very public embarrassments in such a short period of time.
JARDINE