ILAM, Oct 17: The bereaved families of the victims of the Maikhola (river) boat tragedy that occurred here last Friday are to be provided with compensation.

Each family will be provided with Rs 100,000 as per the decision of the District Natural Disaster Rescue Committee. A meeting of the Committee that was held Sunday and chaired by Committee Chair and Chief District Officer Janak Raj Dahal took a decision to this effect.

Besides, the meeting directed the respective Village Development Committee to come up with clear criteria for the boat operation and strictly implement them in a bid to avert such incident(s).

The meeting agreed to speed up the construction of a bailey bridge and a cemented bridge over the river at different locations at Chandalghat where the tragedy happened.

Of those went missing in the boat sinking, bodies of eight have been recovered and among them, identities of two are yet to be ascertained. The preliminary investigations show that the boat was carrying 42 people when it capsized. More, at the same time, the boat was used to ferry some motorcycles and goods as well and an overload was blamed for the incident, Superintendent of Police Sushil Kumar Yadav said.

The Committee has provided 15 life jackets and other safety materials to the boat operators. The Committee has made the wearing of life jacket during the boat riding mandatory.

Similarly, the families of those killed on October 9 after being hit by a falling tree (triggered by a landslide) at Mahamai-3 are also to be provided with the compensation assistance. They are to get Rs 100,000 each. Two individuals were trapped to their death in the incident. RSS