Click to play videoNew Delhi: Going by the glaring safety lapses that are slowly being uncovered in the aftermath of the Thekkady boat tragedy of Kerala's Periyar river, it is now evident that the ferry was a floating disaster from the word go.
Some of the victims were from the national capital and their kin were in no mood to accept the government's excuses.
"There were no life-jackets. Even today we checked, there were no life-jackets (on board the ferry that sank in the Periyar). I just want a sorry from you. I just want to hear that one word from you," said an anguished relative of victims who hailed from Delhi.
A cornered Kerala Civil Supplies minister C Divakaran however, was on the offensive.
"I also spent my night sleepless like you," said Divakaran.
"Sir, you have only spent one sleepless night, (from here on) our entire life will be sleepless," countered the angry relative.
The Kerala minister was not about to relent. He said that in all his visits to anguished family members of the boat tragedy victims, he had not seen anyone shout like this one particular relative.
It's now evident that basic safety measures could have on the minimum reduced the death toll that has risen to 46.
Reports say that there were no life jackets in working condition on board the boat. There was also just one staff member apart from the boatman. Sources have also said that the capacity of the ill-fated Jala Kanyaka was 60 but it was filled to capacity with 74 vacationers.
Meanwhile the Chief Boat Inspector in his report has given a clean chit to the fitness of the ferry involved in the accident. But he has stated that the speed or driver's inexperience could have led to the tragedy.
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