Dikhyaa Mohanty 
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has expressed its dissatisfaction with the Odisha government’s persistent lack of response to the commission’s repeated notices requesting an answer regarding the Action Taken Report related to the boat capsize incident that occurred in Jharsuguda on April 19, 2024, and to prevent similar incidents of boat capsizes in the future.
A boat carrying roughly fifty passengers overturned on the Mahanadi River in Jharsuguda District on April 19, potentially resulting in the deaths of up to seven people. Seven people from Chhattisgarh died as a result of the boat being overcrowded, operating without a legal license, and lacking a fitness certificate provided by the relevant authorities.
“What astonishes the Commission is the non-responsiveness of the Government of Odisha through the Chief Secretary, who had failed to submit any report on record in this case despite explicit directions on 25.04.2024 and 26.06.2024,” observed the NHRC.
The NHRC noted this while responding to a request for the agency’s assistance in the case that was submitted by attorney and rights campaigner Radhakanta Tripathy. In its ruling, the commission also noted that, during the hearing of a different petition concerning the frequent occurrence of fatal boat capsize accidents in Odisha, it had not heard back from the chief secretary regarding a prior notice that had been sent out a few years prior.
As for the disputed unlawful and unfit ferry boat (“Maa Patharseni” OD 14 M 0581) in Jharsuguda district, the commission has issued a new notice requesting that the Chief Secretary inform the NHRC of the action taken against the delinquent officials responsible for failing to supervise and forbid the operationalization of the vessel on April 19. The panel has also requested that the CS instruct the collectors in every district of Odisha to verify the legality of every registered ferry boat within their authority and to provide a list of all the ferry boats that are discovered to be operating illegally and are subsequently prohibited in each district.
The Commission has requested that the CS provide a unified list of all such districts as well as the state government’s action taken to guarantee the ferrying of safe boats in state waters and to stop the recurrence of boat capsize events. In order to avoid making a personal appearance, the Chief Secretary has been urged to submit his response within six weeks of receiving the updated notification.
