Initial Report
on the accident at water-body near Kerwa Dam, Bhopal .

Another tragic loss of life

Mandar Vedghoshe - a very happy, sensitive child lost his life on 21st March 2015 due to drowning in a water-body near Kerwa Dam, Bhopal.

The other boy, who survived the accident was also within hair's breadth of drowning.

Mandar was a student of Sagar Public School, Bhopal, and had completed his Class-X exams the very same day. The unfortunate accident brought his promising future to an abrupt and cruel end, resulting into a life long agony for parents. relatives and friends.

Was it just fate, indiscipline, excitement etc... or was it years of apathy?

As many as 175 persons have reportedly died due to drowning in the same water-body.

This figure kept pricking everyone's heart - will Mandar's sweet memories forever be locked in government files as a mere number?

Did all those unfortunate persons who died on that spot deserve this?

The Real Issue

While many debate over the issues of "children's awareness", "discipline & obedience", "stress levels of students" etc., we felt that the real and relevant issues - the proximate and immediate causes - had been ignored since decades.

This turmoil transformed itself into the resolve of somehow putting a Full Stop after Mandar's name. There was a tremendous urge to change the fact of "Mandar - No More" into "Mandar - AND No More".

The result was the formation of a team and the beginning of a solemn campaign to save lives from the dangers of water bodies. Mandar's relatives and their friends, initiated the campaign:

In remembrance of Mandar Vedghoshe, and as the real tribute to him, we commit ourselves to prevent accidents in water-bodies.

The committment

Organizations like Rotary, The Bhopal Management Association, SAPHAL Society and many more joined hands with the group and are strengthening these efforts.

They all feel that the real tribute to Mandar would be to stop further deaths at Kerwa Dam. During the condolence and prayer meeting of 2nd April 2015, the gathering of over 500 friends went beyond mourning - they committed themselves to this campaign, to prevent such accidents in future. This campaign is thus a positive and pro-active step for a Cause, in remembrance of Mandar

This group is also ready to contribute resources, expertise, funds, volunteer support etc. to the government to ensure that this dreadful sequel of sorrow

About the Report

It was extremely difficult to gather courage and re-live the trauma by visiting the site of accident on the fourth day itself. But we wanted to understand how everything happened on that fateful day.

This report explains the facts in pictures. It summarizes the present status and the steps taken by our group during the first month.

Everything is so obvious and simple to analyze that we fail to understand why effective and permanent measures were not taken all these decades. It is not very difficult to make the site risk free. if appropriate authorities would really resolve to stop further deaths. Our assessment is that it would not take more than certain quick, pragmatic measures to solve the problem forever. And it would not take long for doing so.

Urgency

We fully understand that technical and administrative authorities know the best solutions. We do not wish to interfere in any of the official processes.

However, every passing minute is extremely crucial, since we know that a day of delay could snatch yet another life in that public place.

Our Hope

We sincerely hope that the tragedy involving Mandar would be the last one at this site and no more families would be subjected to the tormenting experience that we have all gone through.

A campaign to save lives from the dangers of water bodies...

Our Request and Suggestions

Initial Report on the accident at water-body near Kerwa Dam, Bhopal .