KENDRAPARA: The ban on using fishing boats and unsafe vessels for ferrying tourists to Hukitola island is being flouted with impunity.
The administration does not seem to have learnt a lesson from the tragedy in which 10 tourists, including eight children, drowned while returning from Hukitola island on January 2 last year in an overcrowded fishing boat.
The tragedy had prompted it to impose the ban on fishing and unsafe vessels for ferrying passengers but it remains only on paper.
Every day, hundreds of tourists cross Godavari river on rickety boats to visit the island and other places such as lighthouse, Agaranasi and Madali. Bikram Mandal, a boat owner of Kharinashi village, said owing to the ongoing ban on fishing on the Bay of Bengal in Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary, several fishermen have converted their fishing vessels into passenger boats.
Such fishermen carry tourists to Hukitola and Batighar islands during winter to make up for their losses.
The century-old Hukitola building and lighthouse at Batighar island in Mahakalapada block are major attractions for tourists in winter season.
Scores of private boats, not designed to carry tourists and operated by inexperienced operators, put the lives of passengers under risk, said Amar Das, a tour operator of Kendrapara.
Forest Range Officer of Mahakalapada Sahaji Charan Biswal said it is mandatory for passengers to wear life jackets on boats.
“We have also made it mandatory for all private boat owners to obtain fitness certificates from the Inland Water Transport department to carry passengers in their boats,” he said, adding stern action will be taken against owners of vessels who violate safety norms.
No lesson learnt
The district administration had banned fishing, unsafe vessels from carrying passengers
Fishermen ferry tourists across Govari river risking lives
Most such vessels are operated by inexperienced youngsters