High Court warned about Tanur in 2018, Govt paid deaf ears

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Tanur tragedy was manmade, commented opposition leader V D Satheeshan after reaching the tragic location. The words from the congress leader resonate truth since reports emerge about a High Court order of five years asking authorities to seize boats running without fitness certificates or licenses in Kerala waters. The government remained idle then doing no work while the High Court warned about more than 1000 boats servicing without proper paper works.

Once, the government showed some nerves and decided to seize houseboats without paperwork before December 2018. However, nothing effective turned out. Now, the boat owners association is moving ahead with a contempt of court proceeding against the government.

It is mandatory for the authorities to conduct a survey every year to check the fitness of the boat. The boat owners should pay the fees for the survey. For many years, all such proceedings are on a halt while the owners enjoy business in waters with such dangerous converted vessels.

Many tricks the authority with the same number plates used in other boats. Meanwhile, others take number plates from scrapped boats. The UDF government back in 2013 decided not to allow any more house boasts in Alappuzha since the numbers were exceeding the limits. However, the owners deftly played the move by registering boats in Kollam and Kodungallur office, only to later bring them to the Alappuzha backwaters.

Currently, there are more than 1800 boats in Punnamade Lake. The government reports say only 800 among them have valid licenses to operate.