Itahari, January 5:

The local administration has tightened the regulations governing the operation of boats in Saptakoshi River following the yesterday’s mishap.

Sunsari Chief District Officer Durga Bhandary said that there were many changes such as limiting the hours of operation in foggy days and keeping records of the boats and its passengers. Likewise, the local administration has warned of cancelling the license of boats if they loaded more people than the boat’s capacity. The new rules have been implemented from today.

Meanwhile, police have identified the bodies of two persons among the casualties of yesterday’s accident as Nayab Subba Sita Shrestha and Lalit Sunuwar. CDO Bhandary informed that the search for five missing persons was underway. Nepal Army, Armed Police Force, civil police and local fishermen have been carrying out search operation.

The boat had capsized yesterday when it hit a root of a tree in the river.

Meanwhile, the victims have blamed the local administration of being inactive even when boat operators were loading more people than the capacity of the boat and collecting exorbitant fares.

They said frequent boat mishaps in Koshighat of Sunsari’s Sripur Kusaha have been occurring.

“The Sunday’s boat tragedy occurred when the boat with the capacity of 20 passengers carried 40,” eyewitness Hemanta Jaina said.