(a) whether the Government has the number of death related to boat mishaps in the country in the last three years, if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether any steps have been taken by the Government to mitigate the boat mishaps in the country; and
(c) if so, the details thereof?
(a): Operation of ferry services on inland waterways is regulated by concerned State Governments/ Union Territory Administrations and the data related to boat mishaps is maintained by the respective States/ UTs.
(b)&(c): In April 2017, in the background of number of boat accidents, the Ministry of Shipping had requested all State Governments for proper enforcement of the existing rules and regulations for ensuring safety of passengers using inland waterways transportation.
In September 2017, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued National Disaster Management Guidelines-Boat Safety for both mechanized & non-mechanized boats. These guidelines, available on the NDMA website (www.ndma.gov.in), have been widely circulated to concerned States and stakeholders to mitigate the boat mishaps in the country. The guidelines provide a framework on Early Warning System (EWS), Weather Forecasting, Safety Standards, Regulatory and Legal issues. The implementation and enforcement of safety standards is largely dependent on the proactive role to be played by local administration, State and District Disaster Management Authorities.
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