Lok Sabha Question No. 1444 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-07-28
Subject: Violation of Guidelines in Boat Services
Ministry: PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS
Asked by: Adoor Prakash

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.  1444

ANSWERED ON 28.07.2023

## VIOLATION OF GUIDELINES IN BOAT SERVICES

1444. ADV. ADOOR PRAKASH:

Will the Minister of PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS be pleased to state:

## पȅन , पोत पįरवहन और जलमागŊ मंũी

- (a) whether the Government is aware that violation of rules and guidelines in the operation  of  boat  services  on  inland  waterways  is  causing  frequent  accidents  in many States including the recent tragedy in Kerala;
- (b) if so, the action taken by the Government for the strict adherence of National Disaster Management Authority guidelines for boat safety; and
- (c) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  issue  directions  to  the  States  in  this regard, if so, the details thereof along with the steps taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS (SHRI SARBANANDA SONOWAL)

- (a) Government has enacted the Inland Vessels (I.V.) Act, 2021 (24 of 2021) in Aug,  2021  and  framed  Rules  there  under.  The  Inland  Vessels  (Safe  Navigation, Communication and Signals) Rules, 2022; Inland Vessels (Life Saving Appliances) Rules 2022; and Inland Vessels (Fire Fighting Appliances) Rules, 2022 have been framed  and  notified  under  the  Act  on  safety  of  passenger,  crew  and  vessel.  The Rules aim to deter violation of rules and guidelines in the operation of boat service on Inland Waterways.
- (b) The  responsibility  of  the  implementation  of  rules  and  regulations  related  to safety of inland vessels primarily rests with the State Governments. The responsibility of issue of Survey and Registration Certificates of inland vessels plying in  rivers,  lakes  etc.  also  lies  with  the  States  as  per  the  Inland  Vessels  Act, 2021.Safety  devices  compulsory  while  ferrying  passengers  and  goods  as  listed  in National Disaster Management Guidelines on Boat Safety (September 2017) issued by  NDMA,  Govt.  of  India  is  at Annexure-I for  strict  adherence  by  the  concerned States as the operation of ferries/boats is mandated by the States.

(c) Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has brought to the notice of Kerala Maritime  Board  the  non-compliance  of  safety  Rules  in  the  boat  tragedy  and requested for strict compliance of Inland  Vessels Act,  2021 and  the  Rules framed there under to prevent such occurrence.  Further, the Rules on safe navigation and safety  of  passenger  and  crew  have  been  framed  for  effective  implementation  and issues  being  faced  by  various  stakeholders.  The  Government  has  also  setup  an Advisory  Committee  for  advising  the  State  Governments  and  Stakeholders  for effective  implementation  of  Rules  and  modification  of  Rules,  if  suggested  by stakeholders.

## EXCERPTS  FROM  NATIONAL  DISASTER  MANAGEMENT  GUIDELINES  ON BOAT  SAFETY  ISSUED  IN  SEPTEMBER  2017  BY  NATIONAL  DISASTER MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY

## 3.4 Safety standards for Non-mechanized Boats

## 3.4.1 Life Saving Equipments

Every boat should have approved life saving equipments sufficient for the number of persons that can be carried. IRS/MMD approved lifesaving appliances such as life jackets, life buoy etc. confirming to latest SOLAS/LSA Code requirement along with identification/marking details on the product.

## 3.4.1.1 Life buoys

It  is  recommended  that  at  least  one  lifebuoy  should  be  provided  for  every  5 passengers, with a minimum of 2 lifebuoys on the boat.

## 3.4.1.2 Life jackets

In  general,  life  jackets  are  not  required  for  boats  operating  in  the  calm  water. However, it is recommended that as a good practice, passengers should be provided life  jackets  before  the  journey  begins.  All  the  life  saving  appliances  should  be properly maintained and periodically serviced based on the recommendations by the manufacturing company.

## 3.4.1.3 First Aid Box

First Aid Box should be kept essentially in every boat with all the emergency first aid equipments and medications to be used in case of emergency.

## 3.4.2 Fire Safety

At least one multipurpose portable fire extinguisher of a recognized standard should be carried in all the vessels navigating in inland waterways. In order to prevent fire accidents, it is strongly suggested that the following items should be prohibited to be carried on boats.

- a) Lamps powered by liquefied gas or liquid oil
- b) Vaporizing oil burner stoves
- c) Solid fuel heaters
- d) Devices fitted with wick burners
- e) Liquefied gas devices

All  the  boat  operators  should  display  posters  on  board  indicating  items prohibited  to  be  carried  in  the  vessels.  Smoking  shall  be  strictly  prohibited  in  the boats.

## 3.4.3 Navigation and Communication

## 3.4.3.1. Navigation lights and Sound signals

The Vessels operating at night should be equipped with navigation lights as required by the local authority. This may enable ferry/vessels operators to get acquaintancewith the routes or possible dangers during navigation. The appropriate sound signaling equipment should also be provided in all vessels.

## 3.4.3.2. Communication Equipment

In  order  to  disseminate  distress  communication,  all  boat  operators  should  carry emergency communication equipments. The mobile phones are normally sufficient for  this  purpose  provided  operation  area  has  signal  coverage.  In  other  cases portable VHF may be required. The authorities to be informed in case of emergency should be clearly indicated on board .The communication equipments for receiving weather  forecast  and  warnings  are  also  essential  depending  on  the  area  of operation. This may be arranged at the landing points onshore and boat operators be informed by the administrative authorities.

## 3.4.4. Anchoring and Mooring

In order to prevent drifting of vessels in the area of operations during calm weather in general and cyclonic conditions in particular, it is essential to keep suitable anchoring equipments on board like Anchors, Cables and Ropes  etc. The anchoring arrangements  may  be  helpful  for  holding  the  boats  especially  during  unstable weather conditions. The Mooring arrangements consisting of bollards or cleats and mooring ropes are to be provided suitably for the vessel.

## 3.5. Safety standards for Mechanized Boats

In mechanized boats, safety standards must be followed as the top priority especially to ensure that machinery failure is avoided to avert potential disasters. It must also be  ensured  that  propulsion  machinery  is  reliable  and  may  not  be  stranded  in  mid waterways due to machinery failure. An important  safety  measure  for  mechanized boats is the possibility to apply reverse thrust which may be achieved by means of gears that may enable boat operators to quickly stop the boat for avoiding possible collision. In addition, prevention of fire and explosion in boats should also be ensured important safety measures for mechanical boats.

In order to maintain general safety measures in mechanized boats, the major thrust should  be  on  protecting  people  from  the  imminent  danger  of  machineries.  The moving  parts  and  hot  surfaces  are  to  be  protected  so  as  to  minimize  danger  to people during normal movement of vessels. All fuel tank vents should be fitted with a 'flame gauze' and carried above the tank top level, to above a height of personnel standing next to the engine or to a level where there is no danger of escaping fuel or vapour. A valve or cock, which can be shut from a position outside the engine space should be fitted in the fuel feed pipe, as close to the fuel tanks as possible. Petrol tanks for outboard motors should have quick connection shutoff devices.

## 3.5.1 Safety measures for fuel storage

In mechanized boats, safety measures for fuel storage tanks should be undertaken with utmost caution and safety. The following precautions are recommended for fire safety of storage tanks in mechanized boats.

-   The storage container should be composed of metal and fitted in such a manner that the possibility of leaks/spills may be averted.
-   The container should be stored upright and secured to prevent shifting or fall over with  the  movement  of  the  vessel.  They  should  also  be  located  away  from  the direct sources of heat and should be made of fire resistant materials.
-   The  container  should  be  properly  labeled  according  to  contents  like  materials stored, hazard signs, no smoking/ignition sources etc.

## 3.5.2 Safety Measures for Petrol Engines and Petrol Fuels

The fixed petrol tanks of more than 2.5 liters should not be located within one metre of  any engine or heating appliance unless insulated and protected by fire resistant materials. It is recommended not to use glass or plastic fuel sight gauges .The fuel level  indicators  should  be  designed  in  such  a  way  that  it  should  not  allow  fuel  to escape in the event of damage. All the fixed fuel feed pipes should be of metallic type. The flexible pipes should be of fire resistant materials.

## 3.5.3 Charging Devices

Arrangements of charging facilities for batteries should be ensured on board, so that boats machineries are started /operated through batteries smoothly. In other boats where battery is the sole means of starting the engine, provisions be made duplicate batteries with change over switches for emergency uses.

## 3.5.4 Lighting Arrangements

When lighting within the vessel is provided through a centralized electrical system , an alternative source of lighting should be provided for emergency use . This may be ensured by means of torches provided on board. Alternative source of lighting is to be ensured for the movement of people, deployment of life saving appliances and to work on essential machinery.

## 3.5.5 Steering Arrangements

Each  vessel  should  be  provided  with  effective  means  of  steering.  Emergency steering arrangements are recommended where there are safety risks of passengers due to main steering failure. This may be in the form of a tiller which can be attached to the rudder stock or steering oar depending on the area of operation.

## 3.5.6 Bilge Pumping/ Drainage Arrangements

All the vessels plying in the waterways should have means of bilge pumping either by a power driven pump or a hand pump so that all compartments can be drained during  emergency.  In  machinery  spaces,  a  holding  tank  is  recommended  for  oily bilges to prevent water pollution. In case of small open boats operating in areas with small wave height of less than 0.6 m, drainage with the help of bailers or buckets may be sufficient.

## 3.5.7 Life Saving Equipments

Each boat should have approved life saving equipments sufficient for the number of persons that can be carried on board. IRS/MMD approved lifesaving appliances such as  life  jackets,  life  buoy  etc.  confirming  to  latest  SOLAS/LSA  Code  requirement along  with  identification/marking  details  on  the  product  (Also  Refer  Annexure-I  to Chapter  3  for  details).  It  should  be  mandatory  to  keep  the  following  life  saving equipments on every mechanized boats/vessels.

## 3.5.7.1 Life Buoys

A  minimum  of  4  Life  Buoys  for  vessels  up  to  25  meter  length,  6  Life  Buoys  for vessels of 25 to 45 meters length and 8 Life Buoys for more than 45 meters length should be carried in vessels.

## 3.5.7.2 Life Jackets

Though Life Jackets are not required for vessels operating in areas of less than 0.6 meters  wave  height,  however  in  other  areas,  life  jackets  are  to  be  carried  for  all passengers and crews.

## 3.5.7.3 Life Rafts

In case of vessels operating in areas of more than 1.2 meter wave height, sufficient number of life rafts for accommodating people on board is Boat Safety recommended.  While  keeping  all  life  saving  equipments,  it  is  essential  to  ensure periodic maintenance and servicing following manufacturer's recommendations. In a similar  manner,  'First  Aid'  box  should  be  kept  on  board  for  passengers  and  crew members like mechanized boats.

## 3.5.8 Fire Safety Measures

Since mechanized boats are largely operated by means of electrical and mechanical devices,  there  are  more  chances  of  catching  fire,  thus  well  structured  fire  fighting system must be essentially maintained in mechanized  boats. The following equipments are required to be kept in vessels.

## 3.5.8.1. Fire pump

A vessel of 6 meter and above in length should carry hand pumps or power driven pumps with hose connections capable of delivering a jet of water to any part of the vessel through hose and nozzles.

## 3.5.8.2. Fire Extinguishers

At least one multipurpose portable fire extinguisher to a recognized standard is to be carried in all vessels, which is to be kept outside the engine space. In addition, one multipurpose  fire  extinguisher  should  be  placed  at  each  exit  from  accommodation spaces  to  open  decks.  In  addition,  Fire  Buckets  and  Lanyards  are  also  to  be provided in the boats. It is recommended that all fire fighting equipments are to be maintained  in  good  conditions.  Like  non  mechanized  boats,  the  following  items should not be carried on board in all the mechanized boats -

- a)   Lamps powered by liquefied gas or liquid oil
- b)   Vaporizing oil burner stoves
- c)   Solid fuel heaters
- d)   Devices fitted with wick burners
- e)   Liquefied gas devices Smoking shall be strictly prohibited in the boats.

## 3.5.9 Navigation and Communication Aids

The provisions of navigation and communication arrangements should be managed in the same manner like non mechanized boats. Anchoring and Mooring arrangements  for mechanized  boats should also follow the pattern of nonmechanized boats.

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