Kerala - Kochi   

Unsafe boats sill in use

K.S. Sudhi

Kochi: District administrators in Thiruvananthapuram, Kottayam and Alappuzha are learnt to be sitting on reports on unsafe boats plying in their areas.

In Thiruvananthapuram, 33 boats of the District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) were found plying without fitness and canal certificates.

The Chief Inspector of Boats (CIB) in his report to District Collector N. Ayyappan had pointed out that the plying of boats without the mandatory certificates "is against the rules and if any accident occurred, the Government is not liable and the custodian officer is fully responsible for it."

The DTPC has been operating speedboats, safari boats and pedal boats at Akkulam, Neyyar Dam and Kappil.

Mr. Ayyappan, when contacted, said the letter had reached the DTPC. "We had earlier requested the CIB to inspect the boats. Based on the report, the unfit vessels were removed from operation. We have now invited tenders for repairing the boats," he said.

The CIB who inspected the vessels on November 16 and 17 had reported the matter to the District Collector, who is also the chairman of the DTPC.

In the case of Alappuzha, the CIB wrote to District Collector K.R. Viswambharan on January 31 with a list of 25 houseboats that were operating illegally in Punnamada Lake without "any license, life-saving equipment and fire and safety equipment."

He had also sought police protection for implementing the High Court order regarding the safety of boat passengers. The request was made after the Inspector of Boats, Alappuzha, was allegedly abused by boat crew who objected to the inspection of their vessel.

As the district administration failed to respond to the request for protection, the CIB informed the Collector that "in these circumstances, it is not possible to inspect the boats in Alappuzha and implement the High Court order." He urged the District Collector to "stop the illegal operation of houseboats and to ensure safety of passengers."

A copy of the letter was submitted to the State Tourism Secretary. However, Mr. Viswambharan said he was unaware of the developments and had not received any such letter. He said the district administration and police were planning a crackdown on unsafe boats.

All necessary support would be extended to the boat inspectors, he said.

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