Boat tragedy

WHAT was supposed to be a fun-filled picnic for students and teachers of a Vadodara school ended in tragedy when an overloaded boat carrying them capsized in Harni lake near the Gujarat city. Twelve children and two teachers met a watery grave. Lamentably, this was a classic case of a tragedy waiting to happen. Safety norms were glaringly ignored and negligence was apparent all around —whether on the part of the boat contractor or the law enforcement agencies. The school authorities, too, seem to have overlooked the safety aspect of the boat ride.

The 14-seater boat had around 30 persons on board, and most of them were not wearing life jackets. But for some brave locals who jumped into the lake to rescue the victims, the toll would have been much higher. The authorities have pressed the routine levers: a probe has been ordered to fix responsibility for the mishap and three persons have been arrested.

How many more lives would be lost before systems are put in place to prevent such fatal lapses? Just last May, a fishing boat had sunk in Kerala under similar circumstances. With the boat packed to double its capacity, the tragedy had left 22 local tourists, including 15 children, dead. That the boat had two decks revealed blatant flouting of safety rules. Though cruise tourism is thriving in the state’s waterways, it remains largely unregulated. Every mishap leads to a clamour for exemplary action against the culprits and the need to enforce the norms strictly. But things get watered down as the wheels of justice move painfully slowly.