Despite the grand schemes of the Tourism Department, which aims to tap the rich potential of Kerala’s backwaters, it seems scant regard has been given to ensure that safety guidelines too are followed. Following the Tanur accident, boat operations are once again under the scanner across the state, especially in the Vembanad backwaters, home to more than 1,500 houseboats.
According to Johny Mukkam, the president of the Kerala Houseboat Owners and Operators Association, a big tragedy is waiting to happen here. The authorities should wake up and take measures to check for violations, he said. “Monsoon is coming. It is the season for tragedies. It doesn’t help when people, out of greed to make money, start flouting laws too,” Johny said.
According to TP Salim Kumar, the CEO of Kerala Maritime Board, overcrowding is the main reason behind the Tanur accident. “They tried to squeeze almost 40 people into a boat with a capacity of 22 passengers.”
Amid mounting criticism that the board had permitted the boat to ply despite its many violations, Salim clarified that no licence was issued.
According to Johny, the major issue that plagues the houseboat sector is “the lack of a proper monitoring system. Only those boats that fly in the waters close to the city limits come under the scanner.” He also lamented how there’s a surge of interest in following safety guidelines in the wake of a tragedy, only to die weeks later.
What further compounds this grave disregard is external pressure, said a police officer. According to him, government agencies often succumb to political pressure exerted by the houseboat owners.
“Even the Tanur police had asked the owner of the ill-fated boat to cease operations, but this was not complied with,” Salim pointed out.
“We don’t have the manpower to do regular inspections,” said an officer of Kerala Maritime Board. The understaffed agency had been struggling to keep track of illegal boat operations in the state.
“Building or buying a traditional houseboat requires a huge investment. So many take the cheapest way out by buying fishing boats which are available at very low prices. These are then operated as shikaras on Vembanad Lake and other water bodies. They also charge less for a trip compared to other houseboats,” said the tourism professional. The long delays to acquire or renew licences also deter many from going by the official route, he added.
The boat tragedy has come as a heavy blow to the tourism industry, which was only finding a foothold following the pandemic lull. Tourists are posing a lot of questions about safety.
According to tour operator P R Rajesh safety of tourists should be given the utmost priority. “These accidents shed a bad light on Kerala Tourism. The government should take necessary action and give priority to safety and providing basic infrastructure, which is lacking in many destinations across the state,” said Rajesh. (Inputs: Vishnuprasad K P, Anu Kuruvilla, Biju E Paul and Shainu Mohan)
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What's in the pipeline
The official said that they are planning to recruit more surveyors and strengthen their office in Alappuzha, the powerhouse of Kerala Tourism. “Random checking and inspections should be done on a regular basis to put an end to illegal boat operations,” said Philip Vadakekalam, a houseboat operator based in Alappuzha.