MP govt forms judicial commission to probe Bargi Dam cruise boat tragedy

The Madhya Pradesh government on Sunday constituted a one-member judicial commission to probe the Bargi Dam cruise boat tragedy that claimed 13 lives, a senior official said. Additionally, the commission will make Standard Operating Procedures SOPs for the operation and maintenance of boats, cruise and water sports activities and for the formation of a Quick Response Team at places where such activities are held, the official said.

The Madhya Pradesh government on Sunday constituted a one-member judicial commission to probe the Bargi Dam cruise boat tragedy that claimed 13 lives, a senior official said. The commission was formed under the chairmanship of retired High Court judge Sanjay Dwivedi, a senior official said. It will probe the causes of the accident, examine whether adequate rescue and relief measures were taken, and fix responsibility. It will also make provisions for the audit and certification of boats, cruise and water sports activities under the Inland Vessels Act, 2021, and NDMA Boat Safety Guidelines, 2017. Additionally, the commission will make Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the operation and maintenance of boats, cruise and water sports activities and for the formation of a Quick Response Team at places where such activities are held, the official said. The commission will complete the probe and submit its report to the government within three months from the date of notification in the state gazette, the official added. A cruise boat, operated by the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Department, capsized on April 30, killing 13 persons, including women and children, while 28 people were rescued. A judicial commission is considered important because it carries greater public credibility and institutional weight than a routine departmental inquiry.