New Delhi, July 12 -- Thousands of Indians who were safe in the pandemic because they were locked inside have since perished because they stepped out. Or their homes caught fire, or collapsed in the rains.

Across the country this monsoon, as in every monsoon, buildings are falling, people are falling into manholes in flooded streets (while an official was making a show of inspecting roads for open manholes in one case) or they are being electrocuted on the streets, third-rate roads are caving in and two-wheelers are cartwheeling after plunging into potholes.

When any of these happen, there is one common feature. There is a street rescuer, or many but usually one dominant guy, his arms flailing, howling instructions to those who don't ha...