Margao: Following eight drowning deaths in Dharbandora taluka in the past eight months, the district administration has identified 17 vulnerable locations and initiated a series of measures aimed at preventing further loss of life.
Kushavati District Collector Egna Cleetus chaired a meeting with Superintendent of Police Tikam Singh Verma and local representatives to review the situation and formulate preventive measures.
“We cannot wait for another tragedy to react. Behind every statistic is a grieving family. Every single one of these drowning incidents is preventable if we arm our communities with awareness and a deep respect for the water,” Cleetus said after the meeting.
According to a review presented at the meeting, 17 locations across the taluka have been identified as vulnerable to drowning incidents.
“The danger is often silent and swift, fuelled by unsafe swimming, alcohol consumption at isolated riverbanks, and a general lack of awareness about sudden, deceptive river currents,” Cleetus said, referring to the report.
The administration has decided to install warning signboards at vulnerable locations and intensify patrolling by Beach Police personnel at critical spots.
Officials have also been directed to conduct water safety awareness programmes in local schools.
“Our children must be taught to read the water before they ever step into it,” the Collector said.
The Collector also directed local panchayats and Block Development Officers to convene special gram sabhas to sensitise residents about water safety and drowning prevention.
The administration plans to identify and designate safe swimming and picnicking zones while encouraging residents to report risky behaviour to the police.
“We need to protect youths through collective vigilance, education, and love for the people, and ensure our waters remain sources of joy, not sorrow,” Cleetus said.
According to the administration, most of the eight persons who lost their lives in drowning incidents over the past eight months were students and tourists.
