Date:07/11/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/11/07/stories/2009110755850400.htm

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Steps to ensure safety of ferries

Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A high-level conference convened by Revenue Minister K.P. Rajendran here on Friday decided to take urgent steps to ensure safety of boats and ferries used by students.

All the District Collectors were asked to submit reports on safety arrangements needed within two weeks. Action would be taken on the basis of the reports. The decisions came against the background of the drowning of eight students in a country boat mishap at Areekode and one at Amboori.

The conference decided to collect statistics of boats and rafts ferrying people, and to build hanging bridges wherever needed. The disaster management wing of the Revenue and Disaster Management Department would collect the data and submit report on the bridges and other facilities needed in various locations. The Central government would be approached for assistance.

It also decided to mandate registration of all boats ferrying people with local self-governments. The local bodies should ensure the safety of ferries. The Education Department and the Revenue and Disaster Management Department would conduct programmes for students and the general public to create awareness on issues of safety under the leadership of the National Service Scheme, the National Cadets Corps and the Scouts and Guides in schools and colleges.

The conference was attended, among others, by Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan; Education Minister M.A. Baby; Transport Minister Jose Thettayil; Water Resources Minister N.K. Premachandran; Additional Chief Secretary K. Jayakumar; Principal Secretary (Revenue) Nivedita P. Haran and Director General of Police Jacob Punnoose.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demanded that the compensation for families of the deceased students should be raised to Rs.10 lakh. The amount sanctioned by the Cabinet on Friday (Rs.5 lakh) was inadequate.

Party State secretary M.T. Ramesh recalled that the government had provided Rs.10 lakh to the next of kin of prisoners who had died in clashes within the jail. The boat accident had occurred because of neglect of the government, the local self-governments and the people’s representatives.