Compensation to family members of those missing after a period

"Those missing since the boat tragedy cannot be left in

that status permanently and the government would pay their next of kin the same compensation as given to others after a certain period of time", Gogoi told reporters here today.

The Chief Minister claimed that according to official statistics, 40 persons had died in the boat tragedy, nine were missing, 35 injured and 136 rescued.

He admitted that river transport, which is a major means

of communication in many districts of the state, has been neglected and "we will certainly take necessary measures to improve the scenario and a high level committee has already been constituted for the purpose".

"We are also taking steps to ensure weather forecast details are provided to the transport operators so that they can take necessary precautionary measures to prevent such tragedies in the future", he said.

He further said that not only river transport but also road transport would be regulated as overcrowding has become common.

A boat, carrying more than 300 passengers, was caught in

a storm and broken into pieces after hitting a boulder resulting in the tragedy at Medertary ghat in Dhubri district on April 30.

The state government had given a compensation of Rs 1.50 lakh to the next of kin of those declared dead.