Ponda: In an effort to curb drowning incidents in the Dudhsagar river, access to the Davkond and Okamb riversides has been shut, with police deployed at the sites from Saturday to prevent picnickers from entering the water.
This action follows an order issued by Dharbandora Deputy Collector Nilesh Daigodkar after repeated cases of drowning at the Davkond and Okamb areas.
Police officers are actively chasing away picnickers found entering the restricted zones.
They have also been instructed to increase patrolling at several popular riverside picnic spots, especially on weekends and holidays when large crowds gather to escape the summer heat—often disregarding safety warnings and past tragedies.
Despite a ban on river bathing in South Goa imposed last year and the installation of warning signboards, many people continue to visit riverside locations.
Davkond and Okamb witnessed drowning cases, with two youths from Vasco and Canacona meeting the water grave there on April 24 and 26 this
year. Earlier, on March 14, two picnickers lost their lives at the Ganjem-Usgao River during Holi celebrations.
