Krushnaprasad: The unsafe ferrying of passengers in boats in Chilika Lake without any safety gear is expected to end as the tehsildar here directed the boat owners and boatmen to compulsorily provide lifejackets to the passengers.
Taking note of media reports, Krushnaprasad tehsildar Manas Ranjan Tarasia issued notices (Letter No 107(9)) Tuesday to presidents of various village committees adjoining the Chilika Lake.
The tehsildar, in his notice, directed the boat owners and boatmen to provide lifejackets to all passengers failing which they would have to face disciplinary action.
The notice was issued to village committee presidents of Parala, Jahnikuda, Bhabanipur and Mainsa; Nairi committee president Rabindra Behera; Chandraput-Chilika Fishermen’s Association president Dukhishyam Behera; president Haladhar Behera of joint forum of Satapada-Chilika Traditional Fishermen’s Association and Satapada secretary Banamali Jena.
It is alleged that most boat owners and boatmen are ferrying passengers in the most unsafe manner in the Chilika Lake, putting the passengers’ lives at risk. These boat owners and boatmen never provide lifejackets and carry passengers more than the boats’ actual capacity.
Such unsafe ferrying of passengers often result in mid-water mishaps and drowning of boat occupants. Both print and electronic media have published regular reports on such unsafe ferrying but the boat owners have never cared to implement safety provisions due to administrative apathy.
In a recent incident, 10 persons drowned in Mahanadi while returning from a picnic in Hukitola Island in Kendrapara district.
PNN