ALAPPUZHA: Beachgoers here still risk their life disregarding security measures and tourism board advisories. In the latest episode on Saturday, five members of a family from Bengaluru, including a five-year-old, caught in high tide were rescued miraculously by lifeguards. Such incidents continue unabated, even after three children from the Idukki were swept away in April 2013.
For the last couple of years, particularly after the tragedy, tourism authorities and the district administration had implemented a slew of security measures and with the vacation season here, life-saving mechanisms have become imperative.
“The Council has deployed a 10-member rescue team. Tourists will be made aware of the security precautions taken by the council on the beach through pamphlets,” DTPC secretary C. Pradeep said.
"The visitors will get instructions. Ten lifeguards are deployed for the vacation season." They refurbished the 2.5-km beach in 2005 spending '6.8-crore and further works were carried out under the Tsunami Rehabilitation Programme (TRP) of the Union government in 2010. They also renovated Vijaya amusement park for children, attracting more holidaymakers.
“It’s the longest beach in the state. So it’s not easy to count people here. They still dare to take on powerful tides inviting danger. The majority of visitors are from outside the state," tourism police inspector S. Muraleedharan said.
