PANAJI
Goa will soon get trained dogs to spot and rescue people in distress and locate missing children as part of its safety measures along its beaches.
Cordoning off risk-prone areas along beaches, deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) systems to monitor risk-prone zones, increasing awareness about safe swimming practices are some other measures being rolled out to enhance beach safety along the coast.
A team of 11 dogs, called the ''paw squad'', is being trained for these works, and the initiative is the first of its kind in Asia, a Drishti Marine official said in the presence of Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte.
“They are being trained to spot and rescue victims in distress, search and rescue in rocky areas and locate missing children at the beaches. The paw squad is being trained by canine expert Arjun Shawn Moitra and will be deployed first at high-density beaches,” the spokesperson said.
Hailing the initiative, Khaunte said new technologies and innovations have to be deployed routinely for such works.
“As time goes by, we must adopt new technologies, innovations... There was a tragic incident some days back when some youth tried to take selfies in a ‘no-selfie zone’. Their unfortunate deaths reflect on the tourism and safety in the State,” Khaunte said.
The Drishti Marine spokesperson said it was also giving final touches to two Artificial Intelligence platforms, Aurus and Triton, to assist lifesavers at beaches.
“Aurus is a self-driving robot and the AI-powered monitoring system, Triton, will augment life-saving capabilities along the beaches. Both systems can monitor the surroundings, assess risks and share real-time information to help on-duty lifesavers respond faster,'' the spokesperson said.
“Aurus is currently deployed as a pilot project at Miramar Beach in North Goa for assistance in beach closure, while Triton, still in testing mode, has been deployed at Baina, Velsao, Benaulim, Galgibag beaches in South Goa and Morjim in North Goa,” he added.
The plan is to roll out 100 Triton units and 10 Aurus units on the beaches of the state in the coming months.
It may be recalled that 'Swim with Lifesavers' programme was launched in March 2021 by Drishti Marine in Goa as part of its beach safety programme.
The programme was started to create awareness, impart education and provide useful tips about swimming in the sea, while also encouraging individuals to learn to respect the sea to gain a better understanding about it.
The 60-minute programme offers a guided swim session, open to all, and aims to create awareness about sea safety and respect for lifesavers. The programme is being revived on beaches which receive heavy footfalls, namely Miramar, Benaulim, Colva and Candolim.
