Norms laid out after Thekkady tragedy still not enforced

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A detailed order with mandatory safety specifications in tourism boats in both private as well as government sector was issued by the government after the Thekkady boat tragedy of 2009.
Hardly any of the regulations laid out in the order has been followed in the boat that met with the tragedy in Tanur on Sunday.
As per the order, life jackets should be provided free of cost to the customers in those boats operating in the reservoirs and other water bodies.
Children below the age of 15 years must wear life jackets, and they should not be permitted to undertake the trip without life jackets. The seating capacity of all the boats operating in the tourism sector should be assessed, and the service of life guards should be provided in the ratio of one life guard per 25 passengers.
It would be the responsibility of the lifeguard to explain to the passengers the security aspects and the need to wear life jackets. In all the major water bodies in the state, there should be a rescue boat which should be equipped with primary life-saving as well as telecommunication equipment. The presence of this boat is the joint responsibility of the government as well as private players.
The tourism department was also asked to prepare security instructions in audio and visual formats in multiple languages for giving security lessons to the travellers. The licences of the driver and the assistant are mandatory, under no circumstances will a boat without valid permit will be allowed to operate. The order also specifically talks about double-decker boats. “A detailed study is required regarding the doubledecker boats.
The boat decks should be compartmentalised with iron bars so that the passengers do not accumulate at a particular point in the boat,” it said. It also says that insurance cover should be ensured for the boat employees and the travellers. The order was issued by the then tourism secretary V Venu, who is the present additional chief secretary (home and vigilance), after the Thekkady boat tragedy of September 30, 2009. Though all the restrictions and regulations are still in force, none of them are followed in letter and spirit.