Tamil Nadu   

Boat riders shun lifejackets citing scorching heat

Risking it:A section of tourists without wearing lifejacket on a joy ride

CHENNAI: Just over a year after the gruesome boat tragedy in Thekkady in Kerala, boat riders are being allowed without wearing lifejackets on joy rides in some tourist spots in Tamil Nadu.

A majority of the boat riders remove the lifejackets after leaving the boarding point while some of them refuse to take it on the pretext that they had learnt swimming. Others preferred lifebuoy as they were allergic to use lifejackets used by others.

In Kodaikanal, around 500 rowing and pedal boats are operated by Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC), Kodaikanal Boat and Rowing Club, Municipal Corporation and Carlton Hotel.

Talking to TheHindu, some of the tourists from Kerala said that they were not aware about the rule, though they were aware of Thekkady boat tragedy.

Others said that they were not bothered since it was a short trip.

“In all around 500 rowing and pedal boats are being operated every day and around 25-30 per cent of the customers refuse to wear it. Even though, we tell them to wear it at the time of issuing tickets, the tourists sometimes throw the lifejackets into the lake.

Since, Kodaikanal has several landing points; it is not easy to keep track of them,” said TTDC Kodaikanal Boathouse Manager in-charge, Manoharan.

Tourists started shunning lifejackets at Pitchavaram, Udhagamandalam and Kodaikanal boathouses since April due to scorching heat.

On Saturday, some tourists were spotted at Muttukkadu on boats without life jackets.

“We give lifejackets to everyone. But on their way back at least 50 per cent of the customers remove it citing scorching heat.

Since the depth is two to four feet here, we do not foresee any problem, said an official at the TTDC Pitchavaram Boat house.

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