The Hindu : Karnataka News : ‘90 per cent drowning deaths are alcohol related'

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Sunday, Jul 18, 2010
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Karnataka

Karnataka

‘90 per cent drowning deaths are alcohol related'

Special Correspondent

— Photo: Ganesh Shetkar

Demanding job: Lifeguards have a tough time managing tourists on Goa beaches.

Panaji: Beach safety agency patrolling Goa's beaches has revealed that over 90 per cent of the drowning cases of tourists in Goa are alcohol related.

V.K. Kanwar, chief operations officer (COO), Drishti Special Response Services Private Ltd. (DSRS) told presspersons here on Saturday that it has been found that young and educated tourists who come on a holiday to Goa do not understand the dangers of venturing near the sea. So, many a time when they go very near the water proves fatal.

“Lifeguards face a tough time managing the tourists on the beaches,” he said, adding that tourists were expected to be more responsible for the sake of their own safety.

Though lifeguards issue warnings to the tourists, many a time tourists go for a swim in the rough sea under the influence of alcohol. And, when they are restricted from venturing into the sea, they become violent.

However, Mr. Kanwar said he was not in favour of prohibiting liquor on Goa beaches. All that was required was restraint, he added.

According to him, instructions are given to lifeguards at Miramar (Panaji), Calangute, Baga (north Goa) and Colva (south Goa) beaches to be more cautious because a lot more number of people visited these beaches than the others.

Called upon to begin beach safety management in 2008, Drishti has grown from 155 lifeguards on 25-m beach stretch to 460 staff members covering all the beaches in Goa. The State has a coastline of nearly 106 km. The agency was awarded ISO certificate recently by RINA, a 150-year-old global organisation in the field of certification.

Managing Director of RINA Rama Krishnan handed over the certification to Chief Minister Digambar Kamat in the presence of Tourism Minister Nilkant Halarnkar, Goa Tourism Secretary M. Modassir and vice-president of the Drishti Group Ankit Somani.

Mr. Somani said Surf Life Saving – Goa (of Drishti) claimed it has been able to reduce casualties by 99 per cent on beaches it guards.

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