San Francisco, California – March 6, 2009

“Oh Daju idar aannus, idar sasto chha pari jane ke lie.” This cocktail language was an extraction of a boatman that I saw in my last visit to the Saptakoshi Koshi chaos in October 2008. I crossed two minor river-forks on wooden canoes. I was very exhausted to further up my attempt to cross the one and the only major fork.
 

(Picture taken by myself on Oct 7, 2008)

It was totally unexplainable scenery of the flood refugees and their lives. However, I found so many jobs being generated by that flood chaos. Dozens of local unprofessional boatmen were charging people to cross the river on their fishing wooden canoes. A canoe would carry as many as 70 people and thereof loaded belongings. The fare would range from Rs. 10 to Rs. 20, depending on which fork you are in. To make it transparent and systematic, most of the canoes were to queue up to load the passengers. The equal numbers of boatmen were sneaking the passengers either charging less or bulling other boatmen.

(Picture taken by myself on Oct 7, 2008)

Boat was quaking left and right, and all a passenger could do was remember Lord Shiva holding the side if he/she thought to cross the river safely. From one side to other side of the fork was at least 5-10 minutes rowing distance – fairly good swimming distance for a professional swimmer. The depth of the river was incredibly deep. A few but all people seemed to me wearing casual dress – women had sari cholo and men had pant or suruwal. To be precise, none of them were sporty and could swim in the need.

Why didn’t the government cite the October 16, 2005 Harkapur Incident (precedent) to prevent the unprofessionalism in Saptakoshi? While traveling to Khotang and Okhaldhunga via Tokshelghat, confluence of Dudhkoshi and Sunkoshi rivers,  we used to try to save some time by riding a canoe instead of walking up to the suspension bridge of Sunkoshi. The boatmen there would operate the business (at that time) in the same manner the businesses are being handled in Sunsari (Saptakoshi) today. One of the survivals of that ferry crash was my relative who was returning along with his friend to Kathmandu. The boatman (majhi) loaded over forty people in that ill-fated canoe and when they were halfway through, the boat collided with another rushing boat and capsized with none of the people left abroad. The grandmas, aunties and sisters had sari on, and the gentlemen of all ages were of course on Nepalese casual dresses. More than twenty people were killed in that incident. The government halted that kind of business right away. Subsequently, the Majhis there were required to have life jackets for all passengers with appropriate size (as far as I heard correct).

If one wants to run a rafting business – same like a boating business in the river or lake literally, the company has to go through so many legal procedures. The ministry of tourism sends an officer to inspect the equipment and find out whether the about-to-be-registered company complies with minimum safety standard. Upon the recommendation of that officer only, the registration process moves forward.

Whether it is a canoe business or raft business, both carry equal level risks on the life of travelers. It should thus be made necessary for the canoe operator(s) to comply with the same rule that applies to the rafting company at least partially – safety precautions. The passengers should be provided with life jackets so that if something goes wrong they (passengers) wouldn’t have to bet their life.   

Please e-mail directly to adhikariros@yahoo.com should you have any comment.  

(Note from the Nepal Horizons Editorial Team: The views and opinion expressed in this article are that of the author and not of NHC. We request individuals with interest in Nepal to submit their views on contemporary Nepalese issues to the following e-mail address: editor@nepalhorizons.com.  Pictures of contributors or images that relate to submissions are welcome)