PESHAWAR, Aug 27: Absence of laws to check growing navigation and boating in rivers for recreational and commercial purposes has increased the risk to human life in various parts of the NWFP.

During the past two years, many people have lost their lives in boat capsizing incidents in rivers Kabul, Indus, Swat and tributaries. A small boat capsized in river Kabul near Khairabad on August 16, killing eight people. Eyewitnesses and police said that the incident occurred due to overloading.

In another accident, five children drowned when a boat sank in river Indus near the Kalabat township in April. Many more people, mostly picnickers, died in similar accidents in river Swat.

Officials in the NWFP Irrigation Department say that there is no provision in the Canal and Drainage Act 1873 to empower authorities concerned to check navigation or stop activities which pose threat to human life.

Chief Engineer of Irrigation Department Karim Khan said although rivers were government property, the existing act did not contain any rule to regulate navigation in the rivers and other main tributaries.

Information gathered by Dawn reveals that more than 40 small motor boats sail in river Kabul at Sardaryab, a picnic spot near Peshawar. About 20 indigenously designed small motorboats ferry picnickers through the river Kabul from Khairabad to Kund Park in Nowshera district. Due to non-availability of a bridge, majority of the picnickers from the NWFP and Punjab catch motorboats to cross the river.