Such accidents take place when people take to boating without life jackets and the boat operators also do not press the passengers to don the life jackets,” said Kaski Chief District Officer Yadav Koirala. [break]
He informed that from now on people wishing to go boating in any lake in the district should wear a floating jacket, which will save them in case of any accident in the water.
“In the first place, the boat passengers should be aware about safety. Likewise, the boatmen should inform passengers about life jackets. There is no alternative to preventive measures,” CDO Koirala said. He further informed that passengers and boatmen will both face action if they are found on a lake without life jackets. A joint meeting of the DAO, boating entrepreneurs and police decided to work jointly to avert anything untoward during boating.
Koirala also informed that besides mandatory use of life jackets, boats should not take on passengers beyond capacity, and tourists will not be allowed to drink or loiter at the lakes. As per the decision of the meeting, a boat cannot carry a total weight of more than 300 kg.
“Only five Nepalis or four foreigners can get into one boat at a time. But the total weight should not exceed 300 kg,” Koirala added. Boat operators found not using life jackets will be fined Rs 1,000 the first time. The fine will be Rs 2,000 the second time and Rs 3,000 the third time. After the fourth time a boat operator will be barred altogether from operating in lakes in the district. “A passenger not wearing a life jacket will be fined Rs 1,000,” Koirala said.
Boats that used to carry up to 20 passengers to Tal Barahi temple cannot now take more than 10 at a time. Budhi Bahadur Nepal, chairman of a Fewa lake boat operators´ committee, informed that they have 700 life jackets for use at the lake. He also said they are going to get 300 more life jackets in the near future. Boat operators have been charging 10 rupees per life jacket.
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