• Source:JND

Jabalpur Boat Tragedy: The Madhya Pradesh Tourism Corporation (MPT) has ignited a controversy after its official stated that passengers on cruise at Jabalpur’s Bargi dam were not required to put on life jackets. The statement comes as survivors allege that life jackets were handed out only after the vessel started sinking, hinting at a major lapse on part of the administration.

'Wearing Life Jacket Is Not Mandatory': MPT Official

MPT's advisor to water sports activities, retired Navy commander Rajendra Nigam on Saturday told the Times of India, "It was not mandatory to enjoy a boat ride (on Bargi dam) wearing a life jacket. Sufficient life jackets were in store on the boat,” adding that the cruise had enough safety gears. This statement was given a day after Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said strict action will be taken against the guilty for negligence and ordered a high level probe into the matter.

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Bargi Dam Cruise Tragedy

The MPT’s negligence has been exposed in the Bargi cruise tragedy, in which 12 people have lost their lives while three are still missing. A cruise ship, carrying 42 tourists, capsized at Bargi Dam in Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur on Thursday. Despite a weather alert, the crew members continued operating the boat. Investigations have revealed that water sports personnel did not receive the alert and only assessed the weather based on waves and experience.

Officials claim that weather conditions are monitored on mobile phones, while several tourists who survived the accident reported that they pressured the cruise to return due to the bad weather and strong winds, but the staff ignored the plea. A strong tornado engulfed the cruise, officials claimed.

Responding to questions about whether the lifeboats were ineffective during the sinking, Nigam said the sudden weather shift left no room for timely action.

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"The weather changed all of a sudden, giving nobody a chance to react. The lifeboats were dispatched, but by then the vessel had already sunk. Nevertheless, we worked tirelessly to save lives. Warnings from the meteorological department aren't easily accessible. We can't always view them,” he said as quoted by TOI.

When concerns were raised about the availability of life jackets suited to different body types, Nigam said, "We have standard small, medium and large sizes, but for big weight differences, like 100 kg versus 50 kg, we can't provide suitable ones.” He however said that more inclusive sizing options will be added for the future.

On quality of life jackets, Nigam defended the currently supplied ones, explaining that the Rs 1,200 jackets distributed by the MPT are considered standard for tourists. He added that other versions, priced between Rs 8,000 and Rs 15,000, are considerably heavier and therefore less appealing for tourist use.


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