In the wake of a boat accident in which 21 people were killed here last month, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands administration has evolved a number of safety measures, including an enforcement agency to prevent the recurrence of such tragedies.
Blaming the "greed and negligence" of boat operators for the Jan 26 accident, where an overcrowded boat capsized between the Ross Island and the North Bay near Port Blair, the Lieutenant Governor, Lt. Gen. (retd.) Ajay Kumar Singh, said Saturday that the enforcement agency will ensure strict adherence of all safety guidelines and measures.
Besides setting up SOS kiosks at jetties across popular tourist destinations, the administration is also planning to introduce pre-paid ticketing system for availing boats and other services.
"We have plans to set up an enforcement agency, comprising officials from the administration, police and the tourism department to ensure all safety guidelines and measures are strictly adhered to," Singh said.
"During the rescue operations, we could not find details of the passengers because the operators did not bother to register any information. So, it is imperative that we have an enforcement agency," he said.
"Through the SOS kiosks located all across, the rescue agencies during an emergency can get vital information and effectively carry out relief and rescue operations. We also plan to introduce prepaid ticketing system for boat rides so that last minute inclusion of passengers as well taking beyond the capacity can be avoided," he added.
Singh said the boat operations across the Ross Island - a favourite tourist destination - which was suspended following the disaster, will be resumed soon.
