Boats being run without licence, life jackets

Mahesh Chander Sharma

Sundernagar, July 31

Residents living along the banks of the Sutlej in Mandi, Bilaspur, Solan and Shimla districts are facing a threat to life. They have no option, but to board boats being run without complying with safety norms to reach their destination.

The right bank of the Sutlej in Mandi has been converted to a lake while a number of villages of Shimla, Solan and Bilaspur are located on its left bank. Around 5,000 residents live in 20 villages on the banks of the river. Following a rise in the water level (more than 400 ft), roads and bridges were submerged and the areas were cut off.

When the filling of Kol Dam reservoir was started in December 2014, the residents of four districts demanded a mode of transportation on the 45 km stretch between Kayan village and Tatapani, but nothing was done. For crossing the dam reservoir (the Sutlej), the residents have to cover more than 500 m. By road, the distance was 150 km, a resident said. Their demand was not even considered by the NTPC and the state government. Left with no option, the residents bought boats, converted these to motorboats and started ferrying passengers.

The boat owners said they had urged the authorities to issue them licences for ferrying the passengers, but their plea went unheard.

A visit revealed that 15 boats were plying between Kayan and Tatapani and hundreds of residents use these boats every day.

The correspondent got on the boat and found that there was no safety gear. There are no rubber tubes, no life jackets or ropes. The boats ferry 20 to 50 passengers. The authorities have, so far, conducted to checks. It seems that they are waiting for a tragedy to happen.