Kochi: These days, the instances of boat trips getting cancelled in the Ernakulam-Fort Kochi-Mattancherry section are on the rise because plastic coir, weeds and other wastes get stuck in the propeller.
“On an average, two trips get cancelled daily due to the above factor leading to engine failure. The crew have to manually take them out after diving into the waters, an exercise that would take two to three hours,” said a senior officer at the Ernakulam jetty.
The main villain is plastic ropes expelled by fishing boats while returning from the sea. “Often, the boats get trapped in Mattanc-herry and Fort Kochi areas through which a large number of fishing boats pass. There is also the danger of boats getting swept away by undercurrents once the engine goes off,” the officer said.
The fast multiplying African weeds pose a problem for boat operation in the Vytilla-Kakkanad section, he said pointing out the urgent need to remove them. The last one week saw two instances of FACT barges getting trapped in the weeds.
Meanwhile, tourists and regular passengers complain of stench while walking through the section to get into the transport boats from the ticket counters at Ernakulam jetty.
“The stench is due to toilet wastes being dumped into the waters through a pipe just near the ramp. It carries the human wastes from the pay and use toilet in the boat jetty complex. We have written to the Kochi corporation to take remedial action,” the officer said.
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