Taking a serious view of the procedural lapses that took place in allotment of licences after a boat tragedy in the Godavari river took many lives on Sunday, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Monday instructed officials to take corrective measures and set up a committee to look into all aspects of the mishap.
Jagan also announced Rs 10 lakh as ex-gratia to the families of the victims who died in the boat tragedy.
Earlier in the day, Jagan conducted an aerial survey of Sunday's boat accident site in the Godavari river. The Chief Minister flew in a helicopter over Kuchuluru in East Godavari district where the boat with over 60 tourists capsized.
Accompanied by Home Minister Sucharita, Jagan took off from Vijayawada and conducted the aerial survey while on his way to Rajahmundry. He later met with survivors of the mishap at the Government General Hospital in the town.
He also held a meeting later in the day with officials to review the rescue and relief operations.
During the meeting, officials told Jagan that the boat capsized at a depth of 300 meters and the location was identified.
"The Chief Minister expressed his unhappiness over the way the licences were allotted for private boats for ferrying tourists and asked if there was a control room that was monitoring the navigation," a statement from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said.
The state government has also set up a special committee to investigate the accident, which will be headed by Special Chief Secretary (Irrigation). The Revenue Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary of Tourism, Additional DG of Law and Order and Collector of East Godavari are the other members on the committee.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Pilli Subhash Chandra Bose said that several bodies were yet to be identified as of Monday evening.
The boat, with 61 tourists, nine crew members and three singers, overturned near Kuchuluru village on Sunday afternoon while on its way to the picturesque Papikonda hills.
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