PONDA
The Dudhsagar waterfalls have always attracted people to the famed site and the 30-km Dudhsagar river has become a hotspot for picnickers. But the many picnic spots along the river have become hotspots for tragedies, which are more often caused as a result of negligence, mischief and showcasing of bravados.
Since 2013, 27 drowning incidents have been reported in the river and near the waterfall combined. This has forced authorities and locals to initiate measures to curb drowning cases along the 30-km stretch of the river.
Following the death of a 23-year-old MBA student from Mysore in June 2015, Dharbandora Deputy Collector Sagun Velip on July 5, 2015, had directed Central Railway officials to take measures at the upper pond of Dudhasagar waterfall by barricading the area, to prevent incidents of accidental deaths.
“The railings and barricades have now been erected along the railway tracks, where drowning incidents have occurred in the past. These barricades have prevented people from entering the pond,” said Velip.
“In addition, there are lifeguards at four spots of the waterfall, where tourists arrive in jeeps. We provide many facilities in this area to ensure full safety,” he added.
According to Velip, deaths at other picnicking spots along the Dudhsagar river take place mainly due to alcohol consumed by the deceased persons.
“Secondly, some picnickers fail to gauge depth of the river. They go to swim after consuming alcohol and when caught up in currents, they can’t swim to save themselves,” reasoned Velip.
“To prevent such drowning incidents, I convened a meeting with officials of the Water Resources Department and told them to display signboards prohibiting areas for swimming activity. The officials will identify ‘bandharas’ where people can bathe. Measures will be taken to ensure picnickers don’t swim in these places,” Velip said.
The deputy collector said the area of Okam and Dhat farm in Dharbandora had been identified as danger zones, where drowning incidents had been reported. Efforts are also being made by locals to curb nuisance by picnickers. “People would come early during weekends for picnics along the Dudhsagar river flowing through our village. They used to litter the area with alcohol bottles and drowning incidents began to take place,” said Dattaraj Khedekar of Shigao.
“We have now barred people from organising picnics along the river in our village. I think every panchayat should take steps to prohibit these picnickers,” he said.
When contacted, Dudhsagar Waterfalls Tour Operator Association President Dilip Mairekar told The Goan that drowning incidents have dropped sharply at the main spot of Dudhsagar river.
“However, picnickers have drowned at other places along the river and the reputation of this entire site is getting tarnished. This should be stopped,” he said.
According to Mairekar, drowning incidents have been reported at picnic spots along the river between Collem and Shigao. Collem Police highlighted the difficulties in attending to distress calls and recovering bodies from the river. “Whenever we receive a call pertaining to a drowning incident, a police team is dispatched to retrieve the body. In the absence of proper access, it is quite difficult to reach the site and search for a body in the river,” said a police source. “It is even more difficult when we receive such calls in the rainy season, given the difficulty in retrieving bodies trapped in rocks inside the river,” the source added.
