Mubashir Aalam Wani
Srinagar, Apr 18: Following the Jhelum boat capsizing tragedy, Kashmiri boatmen said they have heightened the safety measures to ensure safety of passengers.
On April 16, a boat ferrying 15 persons, including four minor students, capsized in a swollen Jhelum river in Gandbal area of Batwara Srinagar. The incident left six persons dead while three others are still missing.
Following the incident, the administration issued an advisory for compulsory lifesaving jackets for all on-board passengers. He also directed for safety audit of all means of water transportation.
Besides, he issued directions to prohibit ferrying passengers beyond the capacity of boats by boatmen.
Wali Mohammad Bhat, president of Shikarawala Association, said they have already adopted safety measures for passengers.
“We have been following the safety protocol at Dal Lake. The government issued us life jackets some time ago and we have been giving them to passengers for use. Yesterday, we only got 200 additional life jackets also,” he said.
Bhat said they have been conducting the safety audit of their shikaras as well regularly. “Our association doesn’t allow any unsafe shikara to ferry tourists or passengers,” he said.
Bhat, however, said the boats being used in the river Jhelum majorly don’t possess such safety gears for passengers.
“In Jhelum, a different kind of boat ferries passengers which carry many passengers at one time. They haven’t been given such safety gears like life jackets by the government yet. They should also have such safety gears so that such incidents could be prevented,” he said.
Post Jhelum boat capsizing incident, netizens voiced for the safety protocols to be followed by the boatmen in Jhelum and Dal Lake.
“We have witnessed boat capsizing incidents in Dal Lake as well. This Jhelum incident is heart-wrenching. The government should make it mandatory for every boatman to have all the safety gears like life jackets so that no loss of life occurs in the future. Further, the water transport should be suspended during the inclement weather,” posted Sajad Ahmad on Facebook.
