2 more students drown in Ganga, banner installed on unsafe ghats

Prayagraj: The drowning of four students in a gap of three days in two separate incidents in river Ganga has foxed Prayagraj commissionerate police to take up safety measures on ghats. Station Officer (Shivkuti) Manish Tripathi told TOI, that two intermediate students identified as Raman and Krishna, both 17 year intermediate students drowned in river Ganga on Saturday at Phapahamu ghat while playing volleyball. The incident occurred under the limits of Shivkuti police station. This was the second incident reported within four days of drowning of two MNNIT students at Koteshwar ghat.
However, bodies of both the intermediate students – Raman and Krishna – were fished out by the joint team of police, SDRF and swimmers on Sunday. Cops on Sunday installed banners at several ghats on the banks of Ganga advising citizens not to take up dips or swimming with the caution that river Ganga is very deep. “Banners have been installed at several ghats to caution citizens particularly students who rush to ghats in groups for swimming to beat the heat. We have been cautioning citizens about the deep depth of river Ganga at identified ghats and appealing them not to take dip or swimming as this could be fatal to their lives”, Tripathi added.
Two BTech second year students of Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology (MNNIT) were drowned in Ganga under the limits of Shivkuti police station on Thursday. Cops, however, said despite repeated warnings and advisory, youngsters particularly students continue to flock unsafe ghats for swimming and playing.
The Prayagraj police along with Jal police have already surveyed the ghats and declared six of them including Koteshwar, Phaphamau, Baghara, Salori, Daraganj in Ganga and Tarapur, Kakraha ghat, Saraswati ghats on Yamuna river as unsafe. Moreover, a 10 km long stretch on Ganga kachar area is also not safe for swimming.
The cops, however, released an eight points advisory for citizens appealing them to take swimming at fixed ghats only. Cops have also advised not to get involved in danger acts while swimming and never use mobile to take selfies at ghats. Cops on Sunday appealed parents to keep a strict eye on their wards and never allowed children, who don’t know swimming, to go to rivers. Always take swimming or bath at safe ghats.
Cops, however, advised denizens and swimmers to enjoy swimming at only six ghats-- Sangam, Ram Ghat, Kali Ghat, Dashaswamedh ghat, Arial and Chatnag. At these ghats, duties of jal police personnel and thana cops concerned have been assigned to ensure safety and security of people. Despite repeated warnings, students of professional colleges\university and schools continue to flock at ghats in groups for swimming. A senior cop , meanwhile, said, “Majority of youngster who arrive at ghats for snan, jump into river in excitement despite not knowing swimming. Visitors at ghats also make many mistakes while swimming or taking bath. People have been advised to follow guidelines for their safety and not enter into deep waters,” police said.