Cruise at your own risk!

KOCHI: Throwing to winds the safety aspects put forward by the government for passenger boats in the state, tourist boats still operate putting at risk the lives of people who cruise on the Kochi backwaters.Though the Director General of Police (DGP) Jacob Punnoose had issued an executive directive on the importance of safety procedures to be followed by boat operators, they continue to give scant regard to the safety procedures. The DGP issued the directive after a Commission of Inquiry, appointed by the state government in the wake of Thattekkad boat tragedy, submitted a set of recommendations to avoid such mishaps in future.The Commission has recommended that canal officers and police officers should make random checking of boats to see that no overcrowding and overloading of luggage take place and further that law enforcing officers must help in intercepting vessels whenever a request is made by the canal officer. The DGP has stated that all police officers concerned with the checking of boats should comply with the above recommendation and take appropriate measures to ensure the safety and security of boat services within the state. “The police conducted vigorous check on the boats soon after the Thekkady boat tragedy. But later they slowed down on the checking and boat operators began to violate safety rules,” a police official said. “There is a confusion within the department that examines the safety of boats. The order issued by the DGP defines on the role of the Canal officer in checking the boats. But there is no post called canal officer in the department. The Chief Examiner of Boats checks the safety aspects of boats regularly and takes action against erring operators,” said Chief Examiner of Boats Hari Achutha Warrier.All-Kerala Houseboat Owners Association general secretary Jomon Konnakapally said that they had asked the association members to comply with the safety guidelines issued by the government.However, inside sources in the industry said that the boat operators still violate rules and overcrowd the boats. “Boats overcrowded with passengers are a common sight. They violate the rules just to make more money. If a boat has the capacity to carry 50 people, the operators will carry 100. This is not only affecting the industry but also the business of other boat operators. The official agencies must immediately look into the issue and do the needful,” the sources said.