ALAPPUZHA: Four people perished in the Punnamada Lake on Saturday casting a shadow on the safety protocols governing the houseboat industry, Kerala tourism's main draw.
The deceased - Sudheshini (26), her daughter Elakkya (5), Rohini (37) and her daughter Susmitha (12) - were part of a 60-member team comprising staff and family members of `Hearing Aids Centre', Nungampakkam, Chennai, who had been in Alappuzha to enjoy the weekend. Eight others were also injured in the accident that took place at the Kayal Kurissadi Boat Jetty.
The accident occurred when a one-bed houseboat All Season - which was used by the tour party to board Lily Darling, the boat they had booked - overturned trapping 12 people inside its lounge area. Timely intervention of crew of other boats and local people saved lives of others while Sudheshini, Rohini and their children weren't so lucky.
The boat lost balance when the entire group moved to the same side. "Everything happened so fast. Though we could launch rescue efforts within minutes, bringing boats alongside to ferry the injured to hospitals was a daunting task given the poor infrastructure at the jetty," the driver of another boat told TOI.
The accident has once again exposed serious issues plaguing the houseboat industry which witnessed 10 deaths in the past six months. There were five incidents when fire broke out on the boat - twice while cruising, and five incidents where boats capsized. Sources said the district witnessed about 50 major and minor incidents in the past two years.
In comparison with previous mishaps, Saturday's was a freak one stemming from carelessness of the boat operator. It also pointed to poor boarding facilities in Alappuzha district where more than 1,000 houseboats ply every day.
In spite of tall promises, the district is yet to get a full-fledged facility where tourists can board and disembark from houseboats without difficulty. Though many floating jetties were launched in recent years, very few of them are afloat today.
District collector P Venugopal said the additional district magistrate will probe the incident. The bodies were taken to Chennai by road after post-mortem and other formalities.
Except for Nitha (42), one among the injured, the rest of the team proceeded to Chennai in a bus. A team of doctors is also accompanying the injured.
The accident also rattled the state government with chief minister Oommen Chandy deciding to hold a meeting of all stakeholders at Alappuzha collectorate on February 1. A decision on solatium to the dead would be decided in the next cabinet meeting.
The state government also sanctioned Rs 10 crore for renovation of the houseboat terminal in Punnamada Lake, tourism minister A P Anil Kumar said.
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/Four-Chennai-tourists-die-as-Kerala-houseboat-sinks/articleshow/18201709.cms
The deceased - Sudheshini (26), her daughter Elakkya (5), Rohini (37) and her daughter Susmitha (12) - were part of a 60-member team comprising staff and family members of `Hearing Aids Centre', Nungampakkam, Chennai, who had been in Alappuzha to enjoy the weekend. Eight others were also injured in the accident that took place at the Kayal Kurissadi Boat Jetty.
The accident occurred when a one-bed houseboat All Season - which was used by the tour party to board Lily Darling, the boat they had booked - overturned trapping 12 people inside its lounge area. Timely intervention of crew of other boats and local people saved lives of others while Sudheshini, Rohini and their children weren't so lucky.
The boat lost balance when the entire group moved to the same side. "Everything happened so fast. Though we could launch rescue efforts within minutes, bringing boats alongside to ferry the injured to hospitals was a daunting task given the poor infrastructure at the jetty," the driver of another boat told TOI.
The accident has once again exposed serious issues plaguing the houseboat industry which witnessed 10 deaths in the past six months. There were five incidents when fire broke out on the boat - twice while cruising, and five incidents where boats capsized. Sources said the district witnessed about 50 major and minor incidents in the past two years.
In comparison with previous mishaps, Saturday's was a freak one stemming from carelessness of the boat operator. It also pointed to poor boarding facilities in Alappuzha district where more than 1,000 houseboats ply every day.
In spite of tall promises, the district is yet to get a full-fledged facility where tourists can board and disembark from houseboats without difficulty. Though many floating jetties were launched in recent years, very few of them are afloat today.
District collector P Venugopal said the additional district magistrate will probe the incident. The bodies were taken to Chennai by road after post-mortem and other formalities.
Except for Nitha (42), one among the injured, the rest of the team proceeded to Chennai in a bus. A team of doctors is also accompanying the injured.
The accident also rattled the state government with chief minister Oommen Chandy deciding to hold a meeting of all stakeholders at Alappuzha collectorate on February 1. A decision on solatium to the dead would be decided in the next cabinet meeting.
The state government also sanctioned Rs 10 crore for renovation of the houseboat terminal in Punnamada Lake, tourism minister A P Anil Kumar said.
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/Four-Chennai-tourists-die-as-Kerala-houseboat-sinks/articleshow/18201709.cms
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