PLAYING SAFE: A tourist from the USA makes it safe for his children by creating a small bund and allowing water into it at the Ramakrishna Beach at Visakhapatnam on Tuesday. — Photo: K.R. Deepak

VISAKHAPATNAM: One of the major and natural attractions of the city is its beach. The beaches of Visakhapatnam draw people from far and wide. For any festival or mega event, the beach is the venue providing a perfect backdrop and the required space. But with its beauty comes the lurking danger: the beaches are not safe for swimming.

The authorities have put up several signboards warning people against swimming in the sea.

Warnings ignored

The warnings, however, go largely unheeded. In the excitement, one tends to throw caution to winds, or to water. Parents who take little children face a dilemma: whether to take them close to the water or keep them away from the threatening waves. With the vast expanse of water in front of them it will be unfair to keep children away from it.

But visitors to the Ramakrishna Beach on Monday found an innovative answer. Eric, who has come from the US, first went to Bangalore.

From there he wanted to go to a city with a beach. He wanted to visit Chennai, but with that city being flooded these days and flight schedules uncertain, he had to cancel it. On a friend's suggestion that the beach here would be beautiful, he came to Visakhapatnam with his kids.

He made a simple yet innovative arrangement for them. Close to the tide, he made a small bund with sand. The bund allows water to come in and children can play safely without the fear of the surging wave.

"My children love beaches and it is difficult to stop them from going into the water," he said talking about the arrangement.

Eric's innovation is worth emulation by parents who find it difficult to restrain children.

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