Bihar authorities order action against contractors after fatal boat mishap

Following the capsizing of a boat carrying 21 laborers on the Ganga river in Baghlaur district, Bihar's district administration has taken a hard line against the contractors responsible for the erosion‑control project. The incident, which left two workers missing, highlighted serious lapses in safety compliance.

District Magistrate Alankrita Pandey directed the Water Resources Department to file a case against contractor Rajkumar Singh and associated vendors for violating safety norms, including the failure to ensure that all workers wore life jackets.

The State Disaster Relief Force, supported by police and local divers, rescued 19 laborers and continues to search for the missing Sikandar Mandal and Badal Mandal. The DM also inspected flood‑control measures on site and emphasized that no person under 18 years of age will be allowed to participate in such hazardous tasks.

The administration has now prohibited the use of boats for transporting materials during flood‑control operations, opting for tractors to deliver geo‑bags to vulnerable stretches of the riverbank.