From fire preparedness to safe storage of chemicals, study finds residents give standard practices the go-by

In the past month, the city has emerged as a hot spot for fire incidents, what with more than 220 fires in 20 days. Even when it comes to deaths in other kinds of accidents, the city leads the nation, going by the National Crime Records Bureau figures.

So what is it that makes the city so unsafe to live in? Believe it or not, it is the people themselves, says a study by the University of Pune.

In the study published recently in the Indian Journal of Community Medicine, two researchers from the Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, University of Pune, have highlighted the various ways in which residents put their own life at risk with their unsafe behaviour.

The study that was conducted over two years across 200 households in the city goes over how residents expose themselves to the risk of fires, road accidents, drowning and poisoning because of their carelessness.

"The study was done on a cross-section of society, from upper to lower socio-economic households, and has analysed how certain behaviours, like keeping chemicals within reach of children, swimming without instructors or riding bikes without helmets, can lead to risk to life," said Dr Anita Kar, reader in health sciences, who co-authored the study.

The study observed how, despite having the means for it, just one household from among the ones surveyed in the affluent section reported having a fire extinguisher.

The survey also found that one in four people swam in unsafe places, with no instructors around u00e2u0080u0094 and even the rich learnt swimming without a guide. One in three homes stored inflammable substances at home and a large majority of them kept them within reach of children below five years.

'No surprises here'
Dr Murli Tambe, professor of preventive and social medicine at Sassoon hospital, said the findings of the study were not surprising as residents of the city had virtually become infamous for their risky behaviour.

"Despite being an accident capital, people continue to ride without helmets and with more than one pillion rider," said Tambe. "We get several cases at the hospital where deaths are completely avoidable. Even in the case of fires, many people bring it on themselves. Most of these incidents are preventable."