Deputy Commissioner M. Deepa has appealed to the public to avoid entering into lakes as most of them in Dharwad district are brimming due to incessant rain late last year.
Chairing an official meeting on the conservation of lakes here on recently, Ms. Deepa said that several cases of death due to drowning in lakes have been reported in the recent times. Therefore, the public should avoid swimming, bathing cattle and carrying out such other activities in the lakes. The officials too should take steps to caution the public against such activities, she said.
The district has 1,246 lakes, including 525 in gram panchayats, 19 in town panchayats, 62 under the Minor Irrigation Department, 26 each under Major Irrigation Department and Public Works Department, 34 in Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation, 16 under Revenue Department, seven in Town Municipal Council limits, three under the Panchayatraj Department, two each under the Railways and Forest Department and 254 others.
Almost all of these lakes are full and are not safe for swimming, bathing cattle or carrying out any such activities. The residents living in the vicinity of these lakes should avoid entering them and also ensure that their children stay clear of the water bodies, she said.
Ms. Deepa has instructed the officials of the Department of Minor Irrigation to see that information boards containing details of the depth of water and suggesting against swimming and taking selfies are installed near the lakes.
This apart, the Department of Public Instructions and the respective gram panchayats should hold awareness programmes on this for the benefit of the local people. Such programmes should also focus on steps to be taken to preserve and conserve lakes, she added.
Officials from the Police Department said that cases of death by drowning in lakes have been reported from both urban and rural limits. Assistant Commissioner of Police M.N. Rudrappa said that 10 such cases were reported in the city limits in the last one year.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Ravi Naik said that 42 cases of loss of life by drowning, slipping into lakes, suicide and others were reported in 2019. This year, eight persons have lost their lives for the same reasons till date, he said.