Ganeshan
Port Blair, Aug 10: The Baratang Fiber Boat Owners’ Association today started indefinite hunger strike against the stringent safety norms of Administration, which makes IRS survey compulsory, even for small fiber boats.
According to Baratang fiber boat owners if a IRS survey is done the capacity of all boats will be reduced to 50 percent and hence the earning of boat owners will reduce and it will also increase the boat fare for visiting tourists, due to capacity reduction.
According to report, at around 08.30 am a rally started from Nilambur Jetty and ended at PWD Guest House area, where the stage for Indefinite Hunger Strike was set.
After the tragic boat capsize accident of Jan 26, 2014, the UT administration had ordered annual security audit and IRC Certification of all boats including Fiber Boats in these islands. However, the boat operators of Baratang in Middle Andaman are of the view that IRS Certification is not required for Fiber Boats and the second IRS Certification, if carried out, will reduce the strength of Fiber Boats causing huge losses to the Boat Operators in the region.
To deal with the situation, the Baratang Fiber Boat Operators Association had earlier demanded subsidy for purchase of boats and appointment of an Architect from the Indian Navy for finalization of designs of Fiber Boats. Further in the absence of any IRS Certification agency in these islands, the association also demanded that the passenger capacity of Fiber Boats, prior to the Jan 26 Boat tragedy, should be maintained. To press for their demands, the members of the Association had earlier threatened to go on a Hunger Strike on Aug 10, 2015.
Meanwhile, a meeting was convened today by the Secretary of Tourism regarding progress in IRS survey in fiber boats but participants could not reach to any conclusion and hence the Hunger Strike Continued.
However later, according to information, the secretary tourism has invited four members of the agitating association of Baratang for a talk at Secretariat tomorrow.
The Lt. Governor, A & N Islands has issued instructions to the Chief Secretary and the Secretary, Tourism, A & N Administration to explore ways to resolve the concerns of Baratang Tour Operators hopefully tomorrow’s meeting will bring some solution to this problem.
It has been learnt that four members of Baratang Fiber Boat Owners’ Association will be attending the meeting tomorrow at Secretariat but they have clarified that the Hunger Strike will however continue till they get any written assurance.
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