Five passenger boats seized for overloading

Panaji: Officials from the Captain of Ports (CoP) seized five passenger boats at Nerul on Friday for overloading and undertaking unauthorised watersports operations. The authorities have towed the fibreglass boats to the jetty at Old Goa, pending inquiry.
The boats were being used for dolphin tours but officials say that the same vessels were also being used for other watersports activities.
The crackdown on overloading and other illegalities comes just days after a large Kerala registered passenger boat capsized off Raj Bhavan, Dona Paula.
“Our team seized five boats at Nerul. We will take action wherever there are any violations,” said captain of ports Vikas Gaunekar.
The government recently introduced a draft notification that increases the penalty for violation of the Inland Vessel Act to Rs 5,000 from Rs 500. The final notification on the penalties is expected soon. “We have brought the boats to Old Goa at the jetty. They were found overloaded and we will initiate proceedings,” said a CoP official. “The boats were found plying more number of touriststhan permitted, endangering lives.”
Authorities have commenced cracking down on illegalities related to watersports activities across North Goa beaches. In November the tourism department had issued show cause notices to seven boat operators and 13 boats for organising joy rides in unauthorised areas and without following norms. The department has also attempted to introduce a single-window counter for watersports operators at major beaches.
When asked if the five boats had adequate safetygear, officials said that they had the required safety equipment, especially life vests.