Indian Navy saw 38 accidents due to lack of manpower, funds since 2007: CAG

non-availability of the defence systems on board rendered them vulnerable to external threats

Ships and submarines of the Indian Navy were involved in 38 accidents from 2007 to 2016, which adversely impacted the operations of the force, says a CAG report.

The accidents were primarily attributable to fire, explosions, or flooding, it said.

"These accidents led to a loss of two Naval ships and one submarine in addition to loss of precious lives," said the report by the official auditor, tabled in Parliament on Thursday.

It noted that the Navy since inception, has no institutionalised framework to deal with safety issues and a dedicated organisation for dealing with this was set up only in 2014 but awaits Government's sanction.

According to the CAG report, among the inadequacies noticed by the audit are inadequacies in the implementation of recommendations of boards of inquiry, the delayed creation of a safety organisation, and lack of manpower/expertise for analysis of accidents/incidents.

It also said that non-availability of the defence systems on board the fleet tankers, since their delivery in 2011, rendered them vulnerable to external threats.

"Non-promulgation of safety equipments allowance list, failure to carry out mandatory drills, ineffective monetary mechanism for the liquidation of material issues are also the major reasons," said the report.

Stating that there also were training related factors, the CAG report pointed out that deficient study and analysis of incidents/accidents by Collision and Grounding Analysis Cell were also contributing to the increasing accidents.