No official machinery to monitor boat operators

Rajamahendravaram: The government's apathy and lethargy of officials are posing problems to passengers who are using country boats and motor launches. Though the government is making laws and issuing GOs, the respective official machinery totally failed to implement them due to lax attitude.

Due to lack of proper checking by the respective officers, the motor boat operators, who are transporting the passengers, setting aside the guidelines with the help of some officers. The main reasons for boat capsize in the rivers are--over loading of passengers, inexperienced drivers, bad weather, using of rusted and outdated motor boats and lack of proper checking. Even after the boat capsize in river Krishna at Ibrahimpatam, which claimed 21 lives, the government did not learnt lessons.

After three days of incident, the government issued a GO NO 667 to monitor and regulate the motor launches and boats in the rivers. But, so far, the respective department did not implement the GO. As per the GO, control rooms should be set up at all ferry points, officials of irrigation, police, fire, tourism and revenue department should give clearance to them at the ferry points after proper checking and a committee also be constituted with the officials of irrigation, revenue, police, tourism and fire departments at state-level.

Some officials who colluded with the boat owners are according permissions to them, at the cost of lives of people. Meanwhile the government gave powers to departments of ports for issuing licences to motor boats in the state.

According to port officer K Sridharma Sastra, 800 motor launches and boats are moving in the state and 68 operating in Godavari area of which one licence was given to one motor boat. Irrigation department renewed licences to the remaining in 67 motor launches in river Godavari till May 31.