VIJAYAWADA: Taking a serious view of boat mishaps that occurred in River Krishna and Godavari recently claiming several human lives, the State government has decided to set up a single nodal agency which shall monitor the entire boat safety measures including survey, registration, licensing and enforcement for maintaining safety standards and handed over the task to Competent Authority of the Department of Ports.
Earlier, the Water Resources Department had been issuing licences for boats in the State under the Canal and Public Ferries Act, 1890. However, the government asked the department to stop issuing licences henceforth.As per the orders issued by Principal Chief Secretary (Energy, Infrastructure and Investment) Ajay Jain on Friday, the Department of Ports shall be the competent authority for boat survey, registration and management under the AP Inland Vessel Rules-2017 in all the waterways.
In November last year, the government notified the AP Inland Vessel Rules-2017 under the Inland Vessel Act, 1917 to govern and monitor the boats plying in rivers and the sea. The rules have comprehensive procedures for construction, survey and registration of boats along with detailed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for life-saving and fire-fighting mechanism on the boats in emergencies.
Later, the three-member committee appointed by the government on inland waterways to suggest a way forward by studying the national and international best practices submitted its interim report in March.
The Tourism Department suggested that all water sports and water tourism operators adhere to the rules.