A watery grave befell twelve youngsters and two teachers. Unfortunately, this was a prime example of a disaster waiting to happen. Both the law enforcement agencies and the boat contractor were blatantly negligent, flagrantly disregarding safety regulations.
It appears that the safety component of the boat journey was disregarded by the school authorities as well. About thirty people were on board the fourteen-seater boat, and the majority of them were not wearing life jackets.
Source: The Week
The death toll might have been far worse, though, if not for several courageous villagers who dove into the lake to save the victims. The authorities have pulled the standard levers: three people have been taken into custody and an investigation has been ordered to determine who is responsible for the accident.
How many more people would have to die before mechanisms were in place to stop such tragic errors? A fishing boat in Kerala had sunk in similar conditions just May of last year. Twenty-two local visitors, including fifteen children, had perished in the catastrophe when the boat was overcrowded to twice its capacity.
Source: India Today
The boat’s two decks exposed flagrant disregard for safety regulations. Despite the fact that cruise tourism is growing in the state’s waterways, it is still mostly uncontrolled. Following every incident, there is a call for strong enforcement of the rules and for the perpetrators to face exemplary punishment. However, due to the excruciatingly slow progress of justice, things become diluted.
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