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List of unsafe Goa beaches being prepared

Special Correspondent

Move comes in response to a petition on rise in number of deaths due to drowning

PANAJI: Following a public interest litigation petition filed by a journalist recently in the Bombay High Court in Goa demanding that beaches be made safe, the State Government is gearing up to make a list of unsafe beaches.

According to the petition filed by Audumber Shinde, who is working with a local vernacular newspaper, 28 people died due to drowning in the first four months this year in "unsafe Goan beaches which are presently manned by as less as nine lifeguards."

The State has a coastline of 105 km comprising 44 big and small beaches, some of which have proved to be dangerous for swimming. Some of the beaches such as Calangute, Anjuna, Candolim and Baga in north Goa and Betalbatim, Colva, Palolem in south Goa have proved to be the most dangerous, especially during monsoon.

The petitioner said that between January, 2002 to April 23, 2007, there had been a spate of drowning deaths, with 178 of them in north Goa's coastline and 134 in south Goa. In 2006, there were 70 deaths due to drowning, he said.

The petitioner said that the Government be held responsible for deaths due to drowning and asked to pay compensation.

The petitioner pointed out that in 12 of the 44 beaches, which are more frequented by tourists, had 70 lifeguards till August last. But now there are only nine lifeguards to man the entire coastline. The court has given a month's time to the State to come out with a comprehensive tourist safety policy based on a scientific study of its unsafe beaches.

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List of unsafe Goa beaches being prepared

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