Post News Network
Sambalpur, Feb 12: As many as 45 people, who were travelling in a motor-powered boat, had a horrifying experience when their boat got stuck in the middle of Hirakud reservoir here Thursday.
Sources said the incident occurred when the boat, which had a capacity of accommodating 50 passengers, was
carrying 45 passengers and 22
motorcycles from a ghat in Jharsuguda to Larbhanga ghat in the reservoir Thursday morning.
After traversing a few hundred metres, the boat got stranded in the middle of the dam, around 500 metres from Larbhanga ghat under Hirakud police limits, due to engine failure.
Meanwhile, the boat rocked under the influence of strong wind, triggering panic among the passengers.
The impact of the wind was so strong that the boat swerved in different direction, prompting some passengers to jump into the reservoir and swim to safety. Out of fear, some passengers were seen screaming for help and making calls to their near and dear ones.
As the passengers raised hue and cry in the boat after the boat changed its course, the boatman managed to propel the boat with an oar to Hirakud ghat, around 700-800 metres away from Larabhanga ghat.
On being informed, personnel from Hirakud police station rushed to the spot. All the passengers of the boat are safe and secure, police said. “The licence of the boatman and other important documents are being verified,” said Hirakud IIC Biswapati Panda. District collector Balwant Singh could not be contacted on his mobile phone
despite several attempts. He, however,
sent a message to contact
district emergency officer for any
information about the incident.
The latest incident came at a time just about a year after the infamous Hirakud boat tragedy which claimed 31 lives.
Though one year has passed after that incident, the district administration has not made any safety arrangements at the ghats for safe ferrying of passengers in the reservoir.
Sources also informed that the district administration has not even started boat service facility for passengers after the boat tragedy in February last year. The district administration has not even issued any licence to run boat in the reservoir, sources added.
People from Jharsuguda, Sambalpur and Bargarh districts have been
taking help of boats in the
reservoir to reach their relatives’ places since the dam came into existence.
Later, the government had promised to construct a bridge in the area for communication between the three
districts.
However, people are forced to travel in boats in unsafe conditions as the bridge is yet to see the light of day.
