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Over a dozen feared dead in J’khand boat mishap; issue rocks House on Day One
Congress legislator from Jamtara, Irfan Ansari, and BJP legislator from neighbouring Nirsa, Aparna Sengupta, raised the issue of Jamtara boat accident in the Jharkhand assembly on Friday, the inaugural day of the budget session, demanding construction of a bridge across Barakar river to prevent such incident in future.
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In a rare solidarity, Congress legislator from Jamtara, Irfan Ansari, and BJP legislator from neighbouring Nirsa, Aparna Sengupta, raised the issue of Jamtara boat accident in the Jharkhand assembly on Friday, the inaugural day of the budget session, demanding construction of a bridge across Barakar river to prevent such incident in future.
Over a dozen people are feared to have drowned in Barakar river, a tributary of Damodar, after a boat capsized upstream of Maithon dam on Thursday evening while carrying people from Barbendiya ghat to Birgaon in Jamtara district. Barbendiya ghat is on southern bank of the river falling under Nirsa assembly segment while Birgaon is on the northern bank in Jamatara assembly constituency limits.
While the two MLAs claimed around two dozen persons are feared dead, the district administration pegged the number to around 16-17.
“At least 23 persons have died in the accident. Thousands of onlookers are at the site of the incident .. I reiterate my demand for a bridge on the river. We have been demanding the bridge for long. Had there been one, these lives would have been saved. I demand that the government announce construction of the bridge in the House,” Ansari said in the House soon after the Governor’s address.
“I have raised this issue several times in the House through different questions. When two legislators are making the same demand, I wonder why the government is not taking it on priority,” Sengupta told reporters outside the House.
Meanwhile, Jamatara deputy commissioner Faiz Aq Ahmed Mumtaz said rescue operation is on and divers are trying to fish out bodies. “Till now, five persons are confirmed to have been rescued. Even the survivors have not been able to give the exact number of people present on the boat at the time of accident. But is expected that there were 16-17 people on the boat,” the DC said.
Governor addresses assembly
Meanwhile, Governor Ramesh Bais, in his address to the Assembly, appealed the legislators to work in a bipartisan manner and raise people’s issue in a democratic manner, besides listing the achievements and the major decisions of the Hemant Soren government in the past two years.
“I would like to remind you that the future of democracy in the country and the state depends on the conduct of elected representatives both inside and outside the House. I hope that all of you would maintain the sanctity of this House with your conduct. I would like to say that the members need to rise above party lines and participate in the overall development of the state,” said Bais.
