Boatmen asked to adopt safety measures or face action

HARIPUR: The administration has warned of legal action against the boatmen, who did not adopt safety measures for the passengers while operating their boats in the Tarbela Lake.

This was announced at a meeting of boatmen held with Assistant Commissioner Ghazi Adnan Abrar here on Wednesday. Tehsil Municipal Officer Tehsildar and officials of Fisheries and Police departments also attended the meeting. The assistant commissioner listened to the complaints of boatmen. However, he warned them of severe action, which included fine and detention if any of the boatman was found violating the safety measures including the provision of the life jackets to each passenger. He said the boats that were not fit for journey, overloading and loading of animals on the boats especially those carrying passengers was also banned and the violators would be dealt with strictly under the law. It may be added that on July 3 last year a Haripur-bound passenger boat capsized some 35 nautical miles from Haripur near Guliman Banda village of Tehsil Ghazi. The boat carrying 38 passengers was coming from Torghar. According to official record, only 16 passengers had survived.