After boat capsize, Puri admn halts water sports on beach, demolishes operator’s office | Bhubaneswar News
Bhubaneswar: The Puri administration suspended water sports activities on the beach and demolished the office of the boat operator on Tuesday after discovering breaches in permit conditions, following a narrow escape for former cricketer Sourav Ganguly’s elder brother and sister-in-law in a boat capsize recently. “A criminal case will be registered against the boat operator,” said Puri district collector Siddharth Shankar Swain.Cricket Association of Bengal president Snehasish Ganguly and his wife Arpita narrowly escaped when their speed boat was hit by a large wave 100 metres from the shoreline on May 24. Following the incident, Arpita appealed to govt authorities to immediately halt what she termed “dangerous adventure sport” operations in the area.The operator is the lone licenced agency involved in water sports activities on the beach, administration sources said.Taking swift action, district officials discovered multiple violations by the boat operator, including conducting activities at Light House beach instead of the authorised Sterling beach area near Mangala river mouth. “Though he was permitted to operate within a certain area, he expanded his business beyond the prescribed zone without official approval. He also endangered lives of tourists by taking them into the rough sea during high tide and inclement weather. An FIR will be filed against him,” Swain said.“The operator’s temporary office, which was illegally constructed near the beach, has been demolished,” the collector said.A show-cause notice has been issued to the operator, who must respond within seven days. The operator’s licence faces imminent cancellation, official sources said.“The district beach management committee will review the situation. Legal action may follow if serious safety protocol violations are confirmed,” Swain stated.The incident has sparked concerns among local hoteliers and tourists about the safety of water sports activities in Puri. “We welcome govt’s plan to promote water sports on the beach. However, safety of tourists and strict compliance of the permit conditions should be accorded priority,” said Debasis Kumar, vice-president of Hotel Association of Puri. The incident has prompted a broader review of water sports operations across the state. The tourism department said it will reassess the licensing process and safety standards of operators. “A comprehensive safety audit will be conducted, and all permit conditions will be thoroughly checked,” said a tourism department official.
