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Consumers beware!
There is no system of warning those that operate ferries about impending danger so that boat tragedies can be averted
The boat tragedy in Assam is yet another grim reminder of the reality of inland water transportation in India, where safety gets an abysmally low priority. Whether it is Assam or Bihar, Uttar Pradesh or Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal or Kerala, the story is identical — poor quality of boats, overloading (in flagrant violation of the declared capacity of the boat) , absence of life buoys or vests and, of course, the licensing authority’s failure to enforce safety laws. In the Brahmaputra river tragedy in Assam on April 30, the double-decker ferry, which had a capacity to carry 150 passengers, was carrying double the number of passengers. The ferry owner’s greed and irresponsibility was also apparent in the fact that he had not even bothered to renew the license, which had expired. It was only after the disaster that the administration woke up to this fact and arrested him. The administration’s neglect of safety is also reflected in the fact that there is no system of warning those that operate ferries of oncoming cyclonic storms. Considering that the river Brahmaputra is one of the busiest waterways in the country and a large population in the state uses water transportation, it is truly shocking that the state government is only waking up to the necessity of providing storm warning to boat operators now!
Similarly, if you look at the boat tragedies in Bihar, you will notice that a number of them have happened because of whirlpools in the river. Now since this fact is known, obviously one would expect the government to allow only such ferries that can withstand such currents in the river and prohibit the use of small boats. But no such safety precautions are taken and villagers pay the price for such neglect. In April this year, seven passengers drowned when a country boat capsized in a water body during a storm at Fulwaria in Nawada district, Bihar. Prior to that in September 2011, 13 people were feared dead when an overcrowded boat, carrying 35 passengers, capsized in Gandak river in East Chamaparan district of Bihar. In June the same year, 15 people drowned when a boat carrying 35, capsized in the Paran river in Araria district – the boat’s capacity was 15! Even at tourist spots around the country, you find lack of safety norms , despite several tragedies involving holiday revelers. On December 25 last year, 22 members of a family, on a joy ride on the backwaters of the Pulicat lake in Tamil Nadu , drowned when the boat capsized. Here again, the boat, with a capacity to carry 10, was carrying 25 passengers! Despite the fact that boat rides were a major tourist attraction here, the government had not bothered to regularise the activity and ensure the safety of tourists through proper licensing of boats. Apparently, fishermen carried tourists on joy rides to earn some extra money and after the accident, the government banned boating in the lake. While awarding compensation to the families of the victims of Sursagar lake boat tragedy in Gujarat, the apex consumer court had come down heavily on the licensing authority, the Vadodara Municipal Corporation as well as the boat operator, Ripple Aqua Sports, for neglecting the safety of passengers, resulting in the death of 22. Even here, the boat, which had a capacity to carry 20 passengers, had taken on 38 and the overloaded boat had capsized in the middle of the lake. Nineteen years have passed since this tragedy, yet obviously no lessons have been learnt. Even today, you find that boats plying at tourist spots carry no life jackets or life buoys. Nor are there first aid or emergency facilities to deal with accidents. At least now, we need to formulate a comprehensive policy for modernising and upgrading the inland waterways in the country, so as to render this form of transportation, safe. The quality standards for boats have to be made more stringent, along with the licensing norms. And these have to be enforced strictly. Boats should be examined for their transportation worthiness every six months and the boats should indicate whether the test has been passed. The certificate of worthiness as well as the license should be pasted on the body of the boat and consumers should be educated about this. The boats should also indicate in bold letters, their capacity and those boat owners who carry more than the permitted number should lose their license. Every boat should carry adequate number of life buoys and life jackets. Meanwhile, if you are going on a holiday this summer, where boating facilities are provided, make sure that it is safe. Check the capacity of the boat, find out if there are adequate number of life jackets. Refuse to go on boats that are unsafe.
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