'Life jackets mandatory': After Jabalpur tragedy, Odisha calls for enforcement of safety protocols in passenger vessels
Officials told to ensure that all operational boats have an adequate number of life jackets, equivalent to passenger capacity, lifebuoys and fire safety equipment as per norms
The Odisha government, after the Jabalpur dam tragedy that claimed at least 12 lives, has directed officials concerned to ensure strict enforcement of safety protocols in all boats, cruises and other vessels.
A cruise, carrying more than 40 tourists, operated by the Madhya Pradesh state tourism department, capsized during a storm at Bargi Dam in Jabalpur district on Thursday evening.
In the aftermath of the tragic incident, Odisha Commerce & Transport Department Principal Secretary NBS Rajput convened a high-level meeting on Sunday regarding the safety and security of boats plying the state's inland waters.
Senior officials from the Odisha Maritime Board (OMB), the Tourism Department, the Fisheries & Animal Resources Development (F&ARD) Department, the Forest, Environment & Climate Change (FE&CC) Department and other departments attended the meeting.
Taking note of recently reported capsising incidents, Rajput reviewed the existing safety protocols. It was stated that boat operators are supposed to mandate that passengers wear life jackets upon boarding, an official statement said.
He directed the officials concerned to ensure that all operational boats have an adequate number of life jackets, equivalent to passenger capacity, lifebuoys and fire safety equipment as per norms.
Authorities have been instructed to conduct rigorous surprise checks. Strict punitive action will be taken against operators found overloading vessels or failing to enforce the mandatory wearing of life jackets by all passengers and crew, the statement said.
To support boat operators, the state government provides life safety equipment (lifebuoys, life jackets and fire extinguishers) under the Sahid Baji Rout Noujatra Suraksha Yojana. The equipment is supplied at no cost to government boats and at a 95 per cent subsidy to private operators, it said.
To ensure that no vessel falls outside the safety net, the principal secretary requested immediate, coordinated action among multiple departments including the Fisheries, Tourism, the Forest & Environment, and other authorities concerned.
"We remain deeply committed to the safety of people navigating the inland waters. All stakeholders, operators and passengers are urged to cooperate with authorities to foster a culture of safety in the inland waterways," it added.
