Rout said the new set of rules have been framed with the help of National Inland Navigation Institute, Patna to ensure the safety of passengers/tourists travelling on boats/ferries.
“It was sent to the state government for approval on November 9 and is already under active consideration by the commerce and transport (commercial) department,” Rout said. The court was hearing three PILs — one was registered suo motu by the court in 2014, while the other two were filed by one Rohina Kumar Maity, along with others, in 2013 and by lawyer Prabir Kumar Das in 2014. Amicus curiae Saktidhar Das had pointed out that till date there has been no legislation to provide for remedies for those suffering as a result of boat accidents in the state.
The affidavit was filed in pursuance to the court’s direction to come up with an affidavit on the status of legislation to provide compensation to the victims of boat and ferry accidents. In the affidavit, Rout said that following approval, the death or injury of such passengers shall be compensated as per the Odisha Inland Vessel Rules, 2023.
Taking on record the affidavit, the two-judge bench of acting chief justice B R Sarangi and Justice M S Raman posted the matter to next week and sought replies to it from the petitioners by then. The formulation of the Odisha Inland Vessel Rules, 2023 assumes significance as it will be replacing the Odisha Boat Rules of 2004, which lacked teeth, resulting in rampant movement of many unlicensed vessels on rivers and lakes. According to records, 79 people died in boat accidents in the state in 2021, the highest in the country. In 2020, with 58 deaths, Odisha stood at third position after Bihar (65) and UP (69).
