Guwahati: Assam government has suspended three officials of inland water transport (IWT) department following the incident of boat
capsizing on mighty river Brahmaputra near Nimatighat in Jorhat locality on Wednesday and instituted a high level inquiry into the
accident that snatched away the life of at least one passenger. The mishap occurred following a head-on collision between a ferry and
a machine boat in the afternoon hours and the rescue operations are still going on as many individuals went missing since the last
evening. The rescue mission, conducted by the NDRF and SDRF personnel, successfully saved the lives of over 100 (out of approximately 120
passengers). State chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma visited the accident site and its surrounding areas to take stock of the situation. Following
his direction, State transport minister CM Patowary and sports minister Bimal Borah had already rushed to the location. CM Sarma
ordered the Jorhat district administration to register a criminal case over the boat accident.
President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah along with others had expressed sadness over the
incident. Immediate past chief minister and presently a member of the Union cabinet, Sarbananda Sonowal assured all relevant supports to the
governments. Sarma made some big declarations that from now onwards plying of all private ferries would be stopped as they don’t have marine engines.
However, if the owners wish to convert the single engine to marine engine, the government would provide grant of rupees 10 lakh with 75%
subsidy, he added. He further informed that four IWT ferries would provide service between Nimatighat and Kamalabari in Majuli island. Apart from
those, two Ro-Pax would be operationalized soon for the benefit of passengers round the year. District magistrates of Jorhat and
Majuli have been ordered to re-schedule timings of the ferry service. He also revealed that the necessary process for construction of a
bridge connecting Jorhat with Majuli is underway. The construction will start from this November and it would take four years to
complete the bridge, sated Sarma adding that a group of ministers will be formed to review the progress.
Expressing profound grief over the demise of Parimita Das, a resident of Kahilipara locality in the city, who drowned following
the boat accident as she was on the way to Majuli, Sarma assured all possible supports to her parent from the government. He was
accompanied by State disaster management minister Jogen Mohan, Parliamentarians Tapan Gogoi, Pradan Baruah, legislators Hiten
Goswami, Bhaben Bharali and Renupama Rajkhowa, etc.
IWT officials suspended, Assam institutes probe into Brahmaputra boat capsizing
