Warning boards depicting the tragic tales of those who died due to drowning.
Visakhapatnam: Marine police wing will act as nodal agency in Vizag to take steps to curtail drowning incidents on the beaches. At a review meeting held by HRD minister Ganta Srinivas Rao on Monday with district collector, city police commissioner, Vuda vice-chairman, officials of Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard it was decided to provide public addressing system along the beach to make periodical announcements on the dangers of venturing into the sea at certain spots for swimming.
Warning boards depicting the tragic tales of those who died due to drowning and flashy red flags indicating danger at these vulnerable spots will also be put up along the Beach Road.
“The drowning incidents and deaths on the beaches can be controlled only when a government department takes responsibility and ensures the beach visitors safety. It was decided that the marine police wing will act as a nodal agency in ensuring safety to visitors and to reduce the drowning incidents,” said the minister.
The meeting also decided to increase the number of community guards. The marine police wing will be provided with an additional vehicle and also a speed boat that can be used to rescue during drowning incidents.
Professional swimmers will be appointed through outsourcing. Watch towers at certain places on the beach road were also planed along the beach road. The warning boards will be in English, Telugu, Hindi and Odia. Life jackets to the community guards will also be provided.
Three bodies retrieved
Rescue teams comprising Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard and Marine Police on Monday retrieved three bodies of those who drowned in RK Beach on Sunday and the search operation would continue their search to trace two more bodies from the blue waters.
Bodies of Varaprasad, K. Seetanna and Babbar Khan were retrieved from different spots in the beach and shifted to KG Hospital for post-mortem.
ACP (East) A.N. Murthy said that the rescue teams are still searching the bodies of S. Sravan and K. Seshu.
Sources said that the teams spotted the two more bodies floating on the blue waters but are finding difficulties to retrieve the bodies due to sunset. The tragic incident once again raised questions on the safety of beach visitors.
