VISAKHAPATNAM:After failing in all efforts to curb drowning deaths in the local beaches, the city police along with the GVMC in their first initiative, have banned swimming from Naval Coastal Battery to the Novotel area on the RK Beach stretch. The 2-km stretch on the RK Beach, considered one of the most dangerous stretches, has taken the lives of four persons, including three students very recently.
Nets of around eight-feet in length are being arranged from the Naval Coastal Battery area to the Novotel Hotel area. To prevent people from swimming, the GVMC has set up warning boards at various points on the stretch. The initiative was taken after the death of three Class X students of Allipuram area and a UP tourist. ACP (East) R Ramana, who took the initiative, said that the sea was found very deep on the stretch, which could be very dangerous for swimming. People venturing into the sea in that area could also be easily pulled in. “Keeping in view the recent drownings, with the instructions of the CP, we are setting up nets and the process will end by Tuesday night,” he added.
Though late, the GVMC officials, without limiting to the single stretch, have decided to extend precautionary measures to more areas on the coastal stretch. Speaking to ‘Express’, GVMC commissioner J Pravin Kumar said that the process was not limited to just Gokul Park area. He said that experts would identify danger zones in the coastal stretch, and after that preventive measures would be implemented.
While the rip currents are one danger, apathy from officials in setting up warning boards, lack of beach patrolling and other required aspects for the safety of beach visitors are hardly implemented. There are not many warning boards along the coastal stretch from RK Beach to Bheemili while there are many dangerous points. According to reports, there have been 195 deaths since 2011. After Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu announced strengthening the beach policing in Visakhapatnam coast, the city police hope to deploy more personnel and vigilance at the local beaches.
Guards Ill-equipped, Feel Neglected
Community guards feel ill-equipped for the onerous task. Forget about proper life safe jackets or equipments through which the guards enter water to rescue the drowning persons, they do not even have a proper first aid kit to treat the rescued persons before taking them to hospital.
“Since it takes time to enter the waters with heavy life buoys, we have been asking for rescue tubes for easy operation,” said V Demudu, a community guard at the RK Beach. They also feel neglected by both the GVMC and police. They were not paid salaries for four months now. “Whenever we approach the GVMC, the latter throws the ball in the police court, meaning the police have to pay. The city police commissioner told us to submit a complaint to the collector. We risk our lives to save others but officials neglect us,” said V Sreenu, another community guard.
After the death of a few engineering college students at Rushikonda beach in 2012, 18 community guards were appointed to guard the RK Beach, Rushikonda and Yarada.