THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: “Last year, a Class XII student drowned while his brother went missing at Karamana river. The tragedy occurred when a group of five students from Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Kodunganoor and one student from Babyland School, Poojappura, had taken off to celebrate a birthday,” said C Ashok Kumar, station officer of Thiruvananthapuram Fire station.
Drowning incidents are on the rise during the summer. Students explore water bodies during their vacations and meet a tragic fate without precautions. With the increasing number of drowning cases, fire and rescue officers and sports coaches highlight the importance of swimming for children and how this skill should be mastered by everyone. “People are yet to realise the importance of teaching their children swimming,” said Ashok. Health experts say adults must also learn the skill as it prevents cardio-vascular diseases.
As part of the Jalaraksha programme, a swimming pool was set up at Government UP School, Nedumcaud, by the Fire and Rescue Department with free training along with milk and eggs. The facility was also available to adults. The pool was constructed at the cost of Rs 50 lakh. Training sessions were conducted from 6 am to 8 pm. The programme received good response. The eight trainers include two women. “We want more schools to bring their students for swimming classes so that unpleasant situations can be avoided,” said M Noushad, regional fire officer, Thiruvananthapuram.
Drowning accidents occur due to lack of awareness among children. N Suresh Kumar, a National level swimming coach said, “Unlike other states, there are no swimming pools in Kerala where children can be taught this life skill. Supervision is required during swimming. A one-two hour class per week is enough for the child to learn swimming but swimming workshops held for a limited period fail to teach the skill efficiently.” He also added swimming pools must be kept clean.