Pune district admin to register boats operating on dam waters after Ujani drowning

Pune district to register all boats on dam waters after tragic drowning incident, to ensure safety measures and have contact information in case of emergencies.

PUNE: Days after six persons, including two children, drowned when their boat capsized in the Ujani dam backwaters in Maharashtra’s Solapur district, the Pune district administration has decided to register all boats operating on dam waters for fishing and transportation purposes.

Though it is a traditional practice, the administration did not have the exact data of these boats. (HT PHOTO)

Pune district collector Suhas Diwase said, “The administration is planning to register all boat operators as it will then have all the information. At the same time, there will be safety measures.”

Diwase said, “All these boats will be registered with the tehsildars. The administration will be aware about the boat numbers, the safety measures deployed, and the precautions taken by them. The administration will have contact numbers and data in the event of calamity.”

Pune district has many dams and locals prefer to travel by boat instead of road to save time. Though it is a traditional practice, the administration did not have the exact data of these boats. The new policy will help gather data as well as contact information.