Kendrapara: People in many parts of this district, criss-crossed by rivers, depend on boats to commute in the absence of a proper road network. But often they risk their lives as most of the boats carry people way beyond their capacity.
Besides, several boats operate without valid documents from the 78 ferry ghats in the district under the very nose of the administration. Though the state government had earlier directed the district administration to ensure safety of boat passenger, the direction has not been carried out, it appears.
Waking up to the Hirakud boat tragedy, a high-level meeting was held in 2014 under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. In the meeting, the collectors were delegated with powers under Section 2(b) of Orissa Boat Rules, 2004 by the state government to appoint engineers from any department as surveyors to issue licences to boats and boatmen.
The district administration directed all boat operators to obtain license for ferrying in rivers before May 30, 2014. It also directed the boat operators to keep life jackets, life buoys and fire extinguishers in their boats to use them during exigency. But most of the boat operators do not adhere to the norms due to the lackadaisical attitude of the administration, alleged locals.
A major roadblock in the implementation of government norms in the district was that most of engineers appointed as surveyors either have been transferred or promoted.
Taking a serious note of the matter, the administration Friday organised a meeting under the chairmanship of additional district magistrate, Dhananjaya Swain. The district emergency officer, inland water transport officer of Chandbali Simanchal Das, the tehsildars, the assistant engineer of irrigation, Mahanadi North Division and Saline Department and senior police officials attended the meeting.
Swain said allegations of over-crowded boats ferrying people have come to his notice. The issue was discussed elaborately in the meeting and steps would be taken in this direction, he added.
All the surveyors are going to carry out ferry boat survey after getting training in the first week of July, Swain said.
The administration would ask the boat operators to keep lifebuoys and life saving jackets on the boats or else their registration and license would be cancelled, he added. PNN
