No end to cases of accidental drowning on Ganga ghats

PRAYAGRAJ: There seems to be no end of cases of accidental drowning incidents in Sangam City as over two dozen people had already lost their lives in 14 cases of drowning in the past two months. Ironically, Wednesday's drowning incident at Phaphamau ghat that claimed the lives of four persons including a RAF jawan and two of his kids has again proved to be an eye opener for cops as well as residents to take up safety measures and precautions promptly while taking bath or swimming on Ganga and Yamuna ghats.
As per Shivkuti police, the RAF jawan along with three others had entered into deep water zone of Ganga and drowned. The cops, however, claimed to have intensified patrolling on Ganga ghat following recent Sangam noze incident where at least five students drowned. Senior cops have directed their subordinates to intensify patrolling at the six major ghats to check drowning incidents.
"Apart from installing warning boards, we have deployed additional police force on the six prominent ghats after acknowledging rush of people who often arrive to swim in river during summers. An additional battalion of PAC (flood control) and jal police personnel have been deployed at sangam noze to keep a strict vigil and not allowing people to enter into deep waters," said a senior cop.
Official, however, said, "We have been installing more banners and posters marking danger zone, deep water barricading, high flow of river water at identified sites. The department has also taken up the use of public address system to keep people alert on ghats and appeal them not to enter deep waters." In charge of Jal police, Kadedin Yadav told TOI: "Majority of drowning incidents occur when people, mostly youngsters, who generally don't know proper swimming enter deep waters in excitement and start drowning.We constantly advise citizens to take dips or swimming with caution as the river Ganga is deep. We have been cautioning citizens about the depth of Ganga at identified ghats and appealing them not to take dip or swimming as this could be fatal."
In the past two months, over two dozen people had lost their lives in separate drowning incidents in Naini, Karchana, Phaphamau, Daraganj and Shivkuti areas. The Prayagraj police along with Jal police have already surveyed the ghats and declared six of them-- Koteshwar, Phaphamau, Baghara, Salori, Daraganj in Ganga and Tarapur, Kakrah ghat, Saraswati ghats on Yamuna river-- as unsafe.
Moreover, a 10 km long stretch on Ganga kachar area is also not safe for swimming. Cops also advised not to go for group swimming at unsafe ghats. Cops have also asked not to get involved in danger acts while swimming and never use mobile to take selfies at ghats.
Cops on Wednesday again appealed parents to keep a strict eye on their wards and never allow children, who don't know swimming, to go to rivers. Cops, meanwhile, 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 of people.