Berhampur: Over 40 passengers and 20 vehicles were left stranded in the Chilika lake for one hour on Sunday when the motorboat they were travelling in developed a technical snag. Later it was rescued.
The vessel was carrying 20 vehicles along with more than 40 passengers was going from Janhikuda to Satpada in Puri district when it got malfunctioned. Later, the fire personnel reached and rescued them.
Worth mentioning, passenger boats operate the 5-km long stretch between Janhikuda and Satpada and residents of around 14 panchayats in Krushna Chandra block are taking risks to cross the lake in boats. Locals have been for long demanding construction of a bridge for their safety.
Earlier on August 4, a patrolling boat of forest department has been stranded in middle of the Chilika lake for more than two hours due to some technical glitch and four forest officials were stuck.
