ALAPPUZHA: Kerala State Water Transport Department (KSWTD) authorities has spurned the demand of State Government’s Special Squad to conduct safety checks on its service boats. The Special Squad was constituted in the wake of the Thekkady boat mishap to inspect the security features of the boats plying the State's waters.
Though the Special Squad had given a letter to the KSWTD on October 13 seeking details like fitness certificates and security features of the boats, the KSWTD has not replied till date.
"When we approached the Director of the KSWTD, he informed us that the letter has been forwarded to the mechanical engineer. Following this, we sent an officer to the mechanical wing of the KSWTD on Tuesday. However, the mechanical engineer refused to cooperate with us and behaved impolitely to our official," the Squad members told Express.
When majority of private boat operators are cooperating with the squad, the KSWTD is unwilling to cooperate with it. Hence, the squad could not carry out inspection on KSWTD’s service boats.
The condition of the KSWTD-owned boats is pathetic, a fact evident from a recent incident when a passenger boat which was on way to Kumarakom from Muhamma, drifted uncontrollably in the middle of the Vembanadu lake for around 15 minutes slightly averting a mishap.
"Since the Department Director is ready to cooperate with the Squad, we have decided to send a reminder to the mechanical wing on Wednesday. And if they still refuse to cooperate, we are planning to take stringent steps," said a squad official.
At present, the department plies around 50 boats in the State. The districtwise break up of the boats run by the KSWTD is as follows: Kasargod (2 boats), Ernakulam (8 boats), Kottayam (7 boats), Kollam (3 boats) and Alappuzha(30 boats).
The squad has already completed inspection of 220 houseboats and 100 motorboats in the district till date and 50 percent of them were found unfit for operation.
