A stand-off between the Poovar panchayat and boat operators in the Poovar backwaters, over illegal operations by the latter after the death of five tourists there, is likely to continue with the panchayat approaching the police on Thursday, seeking action against the operators.
A meeting last Monday, between the panchayat, the boat operators, and the police, had decided to put on hold all operations on the backwaters till the rainy season was over.
However, according to Anto Marceline, president of the Poovar panchayat, the boat owners had violated this agreement and from Wednesday had begun running services along the backwaters and to the popular sandbar, the site of the May 16 tragedy.
‘Police connivance’
Mr. Marceline alleged that the operators had resumed the boat services in connivance with the police. The boat owners had posted three men as lifeguards on the sandbar, he said. The men had no proper training as lifeguards and the move was mere eyewash to help resumption of boat services.
The panchayat has submitted a petition to the Superintendent of Police (Thiruvananthapuram Rural), asking assistance to take action against the boat owners, a majority of whom had no licences, and operated their boats with drivers who too had no licences.
Panchayat decision
Mr. Marceline said the panchayat had unanimously decided on Friday that it would not allow boat services in the region unless the operators obtained permission from the panchayat, even if they had licence from the Ports Authority.
“The SP has asked for two days to sort out the matter,” he said. The operations, without adequate safety measures, including life-jackets on the boats, and without trained lifeguards at the sandbar, had resulted in 10 deaths in the past five years,” he added.
