The tragic death of four youngsters at Keri Beach while on a picnic brings to the fore the critical aspect of tourists consistently ignoring the laws of the land and safety rules along beaches and other tourist spots in the State. On Sunday, four tourists were swept away by a swell of waves while taking selfies from a rocky area on the shore declared unsafe. The tourists have not only ignored the announcements of the lifeguards but also turned a blind eye to the signages of the "no-selfie zone".
In this age of cell phones, selfies have become an increasingly risky proposition in tourism, with visitors going that extra stretch of the imagination to get a picture-perfect memory. As a result, tourists keep attempting irrational and life-threatening shots to appeal to the social media space. Overall, India accounts for a high number of selfie deaths worldwide. A study published in 2018 revealed that between 2011 and 2017, there were around 159 people who died in the process of taking a selfie, compared to less than 100 in the rest of the world during the same phase.
Goa had demarcated 24 "no-selfie zones" along the coastline in 2018 after a spate of deaths and injuries to tourists. Warning signages have been put up at various places after two tourists died in two separate incidents in June 2018 along the rocky areas along the shore. One such tragedy happened on the rocks below Fort Aguada with a huge plunging wave pulling one of the boys in. Nevertheless, tourists continue to take selfies at this spot overlooking the dangers of sea currents and the "no-selfie warning".
Apparently, tourists' obsession with selfies and sea adventures has been so forceful that many a time, those manning the beaches have been helpless. This has been a universal problem across India and even in some parts of the world. In 2019 alone, there were around 36 deaths at sea in Goa, the majority of whom were domestic tourists.
Goa has a peculiar problem at hand because of defiant tourists. Drishti Marine, which has been keeping a vigil on the beaches, has reported tourist hostilities with abuses and even physical assaults. Moreover, tourists continue to violate rules irrespective of the conditions; some go in for a swim, even defying tide swells and red flags. So, how does a State rectify a situation where even the demarcation of zones is not helping?
Drishti Marine has recently introduced technology to assist beach monitoring with the AIF-powered self-driven robot Aurus and an AI-based monitoring system named Triton. The question is whether these innovations could help decrease beach incidents, given that tragedies result more out of defiance and sporadic spur-of-the-moment acts.
While Goa may not have enough manpower to police beaches and keep track of errant behaviour, the government must ponder over this "selfie nuisance" and defiant tourists. Finally, it is about creating a safe and disciplined coastal ecosystem for tourism. Violators of beach rules much be penalised. A free-for-all environment will not only vitiate the space but also bring in lawlessness and chaos.
