By: Sameer Showkin Lone
Srinagar: Scorching heat pushing people towards ponds and streams for swimming and bathing, the district administration Kupwara has constituted patrolling teams to thwart increasing drowning incidents. Besides the services of PRIs and village heads have been sought to wean away people from water bodies.
Deputy Commissioner Kupwara Khalid Jahangir has come up with a novel way for the larger public safety wherein a vigorous IEC campaign is set to be started across the border district.
According to Jahangir, all the concerned departments and executing agencies are instructed to install road signage/ caution board within the radius of 20m/ 50ms of the site like ponds, water bodies, fish farms immediately and also ensure proper covering/ fencing of pits/ storage tanks across the district for safety of human lives and public property.
Furthermore, the general public residing near such places have been informed that they shall desist from allowing their wards for swimming, bathing, fishing etc in these water bodies in future.
The move has been taken in the backdrop of rising mercury forcing youngsters to swimming in nallahs and irrigation tanks that subsequently led to the rise in incidents of drowning in recent days in the district.
“The SE Hydraulic has been instructed to deploy field staff for patrolling along vulnerable points for weaning away youngsters from venturing into water bodies for swimming,” they said.
The DC has also stressed for initiating a vigorous IEC campaign in this regard through various platforms.
Accordingly, the tehsildars have been also directed to activate Lumberdars and Chowkidars in all vulnerable villages within their jurisdictions for warding off youngsters from swimming.
He has also asked for utilizing the services of PRIs for sensitising the general public against allowing youngsters to venture into water bodies.
Khalid Jahangir has also asked Chief Education Officer Kupwara to ask all ZEOs, Principals, and Head teachers to invariably do sensitization of students in schools on daily basis against swimming in water bodies.
