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G.K. Nair

KOCHI, July 30

THE recent boat tragedy in Vembanad lake, off Kumarakom in Kottayam district, has evoked criticism about the condition of the boats operating in the lakes and backwaters of the State.

The Kerala State Water Transport Department (KSWTD) has about 70 boats and many of them are old - some even more than 25 years old - but still in service, boat passengers association and officials said.

They added that these boats are neither maintained regularly nor repaired properly.

On the other hand, the number of boats has not been raised to meet the corresponding increase in passenger traffic.

Last December, the Muhamma Boat Passengers Association had submitted a memorandum to the Transport Minister demanding increase in the number of boats operating between Muhamma and Kumarakom, but no decision was taken, the association President said.

Lack of adequate number of services has led to overcrowding in the boats in most of the routes, he added.

The tragedy that took place last weekend, resulting in the death of 29 people, was partly because of the overcrowding.

The boat was carrying around 300 passengers when its capacity was just 100.

"The Government is aware of the poor conditions of the boats it operates. Water transport is a cheaper mode of travel for the poor people living in the coastal regions of the vast expanses of lakes and backwaters, but this sector continues to be neglected."

According to Dr Thomas Issac, economist and MLA, it is evident from the fact that only Rs 1 crore was allocated for this sector in the latest Budget, which is inadequate to meet even the capital costs.

He said that the Government's reluctance might be because of its perception that it was not required to invest further in the State water transport system as the sector is in the process of being privatised.

"But the private sector is unlikely to invest in this area since most of those who depend on boat travel are farmers, coir workers, fishermen and others belonging to low-income group.

"They would not be able to afford the market-decided boat fares.''

The Minister for Transport had said after the tragedy that the department had already taken a decision to build boats using light fibre material.

The Government has also not dug boat channels in the area where the KSWTD operates its boats.

"As a result, boats used to get stuck in the mud leading to breakage of planks of the keel," the association official said.

Primary navigation aids like buoys have not been installed in the region, either.

The buoys indicate the directions lest the boats leave the cruise channel.

According to the Water Transport Lascars Union General Secretary, Mr P. Mohandas, the department has been compelling crew members to operate faulty boats.

"While vehicles plying on roads are required to undergo tests to satisfy various conditions regarding safety, boats do not have any such tests," he added.

Though it had been stipulated in the rules that boats should be checked once in every six months to ensure that they meet various norms on safety, no such checking was being carried out, he said.

Besides, as per the safety norms, the boats should have enough life buoys proportionate to passenger capacity.

The boat which capsized last week had only six buoys, Mr Mohandas said.

"Add to this, none of the jetties in the State have facilities for rescue operations."

The Cochin Port Trust had pointed out earlier that those boats operating in Ernakulam backwaters within the jurisdiction of CPT did not have required fitness certificates.

Last May, it advised the KWTD to rectify the defects and make the boats sailworthy, lest there are any tragedies or disasters.

Of the boats operating in the region, five were not fit for service, it said.

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