The State BJP on Monday demanded a judicial probe into the shocking boat tragedy on Sunday last that has claimed at least 29 lives so far inside the Hirakud reservoir. BJP State president KV Singh Deo, addressing a Press conference at the party headquarters here, rejected the State Government’s announcement for a RDC level inquiry into the boat accident. He said the RDC would try to cover up those officials and people who acted in a lackadaisical manner, resulting in the death of a large number of people.
Even the RDC dare not go into issues like whether there was licence of the boat operator, the boat was fit and why life jackets were not given, he said. Reacting to the statement of Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kalpataru Das that the Government had no knowledge as to whether valid licence was issued to the boat man who was operating the boat on the fateful day inside Hirakud, Sing Deo alleged that this was nothing but sheer callousness of the Government and the competent authorities in charge of the dam.It is unfortunate that the Hirakud reservoir system was under the charge of the Chief Minister where gross negligence and violation of safety norms had taken place, he lamented. Even there is no list of licenced list of boat operators with the Government, he said, and sought to know whether tender was floated for auctioning of the Sonu Tikira Ghat which is in question in view of the boat accident. Singh Deo said, “We demand a judicial inquiry to the Hirakud boat tragedy to get into the bottom of the whole issue.”
He said after the Sankalpa Samabesh in Bhubaneswar, a high level BJP delegation would go to Sambalpur to meet the bereaved families and also make a spot inquiry. Earlier, Singh Deo had expressed condolence for those who lost their lives in the mishap.
In the Assembly, members irrespective of party line expressed their profound grief and shock over the death of 29 people in the boat tragedy and demanded a high level probe into the tragic incident. The members also demanded the Government to ensure that all safety measures were taken in the ferry boats and strong action be taken against the guilty to prevent such incidents in future.
Raising the issue during zero hour, leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh said the House should condole the deaths and express its sympathy to the bereaved families. Congress member Santosh Singh Saluja demanded apology from the Government and fixing of accountability, apart from stern action against the guilty. He wanted to know why the boat was carrying passengers more than its capacity and whether all safety measures like life jackets and oxygen were taken.
Congress member Mamata Madhi from Chitrokonda said that since many accidents had happened in the Chitrakonda reservoir in past taking a number of lives, the Government should provide more mechanized boats with all preventive and safety measures for ferrying the people.