Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Wednesday lamented the boat tragedy in Dhubri in which 250 people were feared drowned in the Brahmaputra and said the government would lay emphasis on development of river transport to check recurrence of such incidents in future.
''As many people across the state use ferry and boat as their mode of transport, emphasis has to be given on developing river transport in a big way,'' he said addressing a meeting of deputy commissioners and superintendents of police.
He urged the DCs and SPs to take strong action against those who carry excess load in boats and buses beyond their permissible limits.
"The death toll due to road accidents has gone up alarmingly. One of the factors is overloading much beyond the permissible limit. The DCs and SPs must strictly enforce the orders to put a halt to excess loading in boats and buses," he said and appreciated the prompt rescue operation launched by Dhubri district administration.