NHRC seeks compliance report from Assam Chief Secy, DGP over boat capsize incidents

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) directed the Assam Chief Secretary and Director General of Police to ensure that the criminal case registered in the matter of boat capsize incidents pursued and departmental action against the errant public servants is taken.

The NHRC also directed the Chief Secretary and DGP to ensure the payment of ex-gratia relief is paid in all the remaining cases of deaths/injuries expeditiously and a compliance report is forwarded to the Commission for records.

Disposing of the case filed by noted social activist and human rights lawyer and Supreme Court advocate, Radhakanta Tripathy, the NHRC passed the order recently.

Tripathy informed the Commission about the death of 14 passengers of an unlicensed motorised boat that was capsized in a river in Kamrup district on September 28, 2015.

According to the complainant, the incident occurred due to overloading of passengers in the boat. At the relevant time, there were about 300 passengers in the said boat and none of the passengers had the life jacket.

The incident occurred due to negligence of concerned authorities and the district administration, Tripathy alleged.

The NHRC directed the Chief Secretary and the DGP to submit their responses.

Tripathy, in his rejoinder, stated the towering claim of the Assam government with respect to preventive and punitive measures taken by the authority is "not correct", as on September 5, 2018, three people, including two college girls, died, and about 20 others were reported missing after a mechsed country boat sank in the Brahmaputra off north Guwahati.

The boat with 36 passengers was on its way to north Guwahati in Kamrup district across the river from Fancy Bazar ferry ghat here when its engine developed a problem, Tripathy said.

Pursuant to the direction of the NHRC, the State government has initiated the action for making payment of ex gratia amount Rs 2 lakhs each to the next of kin of the deceased.

( With inputs from ANI )