Oh Buoy! Patrols need a lifeline

Despite the increasing number of drownings reported off the Marina beach and other beaches in Chennai, neither the city police nor other government officials seem to be taking any effort to reduce the number of deaths off the favourite tourist destination. 

Only a few weeks ago, two Hyderabad-based men who were almost drowning in the sea off the Marina were rescued by the beach patrol police, with the help of fishermen. The two, Ramana (35) and Narendra (29) - had come to their sister’s house and visited Marina beach. 

They were sucked in by giant waves while swimming in the sea and were lucky to be rescued. While theirs is probably the first reported incident of successful rescue operation, the number of deaths due to drowning off the Marina this year is about 50. Even on Sunday, a youth reportedly drowned and could not be traced. 

The numbers are startling, when we add the toll off Besant Nagar and Thiruvanmiyur beaches, which are even more scarcely guarded. Despite the claims of effective measures by police to curb such accidents, there has been no sign of improvement as suggested by the number of deaths being reported every week. 

When DTNext spoke to police officials in charge of the area, a number of issues were brought up, such as lack of funds and manpower, to implement preventive measures, poor knowledge among people about the nature of the sea and even jurisdictional issues among a few departments, for not being be able to curb the deaths. 

While cops man the beach during rush hours in the morning and evening, most of the drownings reportedly occur between 11 am and 4 pm. 

Further, there are not enough lifeguards posted either by the police or any other government department and police often seek the help of local fishermen. In serious cases, they seek help from the Coast Guard. 

“We get the help of good swimmers among fishermen during festival times such as Vinayaka Chaturti, Deepavali and Pongal, but there is no provision to have full-time lifeguards,” said Vishveshvaraiah, Assistant Commissioner (Mylapore), under whose jurisdiction Marina beach falls. 

One of the major reasons being cited for the drownings is the overenthusiastic crowd who get into the sea without paying any attention for warning boards. An official, unwilling to be quoted, said that most of the youngsters who drown were drunk. 

“Even when we notice such people from the watch tower, it will be difficult to reach them in time. During festival times, some people even cross the barricades to swim in the sea,” the official added. Currently, 14 policemen are involved in surveillance at the Marina stretch in two shifts, in four patrol buggies and eight horses. A 

senior police official cited the lack of funds and manpower as shortcomings in preventing people from drowning in the sea. 

“There are four danger zones at the three-kilometre long beach. While there are watch towers behind the Gandhi statue, the other three danger zones do not have any. The stretch between Kallukuttai and Vivekanandar Illam is particularly dangerous because the persons who drown here do not even wash ashore. Fishermen too avoid this stretch while sailing into the sea for fishing for the same reason. 

Barricading the 200-metre stretch would bring down the toll to a great extent. Though private firms are willing to erect watch towers, they come with a condition of promoting their brand on the towers, which are not entertained,” he said.  

The officer added that the cops on duty at the beach had no protective gears for themselves or any kind of training sea rescue operations. “They are in the same uniform as other cops and even the shoes are not water-proof,” rued the source. 

While accidental drownings could be prevented with the help of permanent railing along the beach, as well as by making the sand even for about 10 feet from the beach to make it safe for swimming, nature enthusiasts oppose such measures, as it would affect the natural formation of the beach, added the officer. 

According to the police, the government wants to keep Marina as a tourist spot and due to the presence of memorials of three major leaders, the crowd is getting bigger 

by the day. “Though Marina is one of the longest beaches in the world, it is not safe for swimming. 

Only a complete prohibition on swimming will put an end to such deaths,” said inspector Mohandoss of Lighthouse police station. Another police official said that policemen can only do monitoring of the beaches while it is the Public Works Department which should allocate funds for preventive measures along the coast. 

However, Manoharan, Superintendent Engineer (Construction and Building maintenance), PWD department, said that they had not got any such proposal to build watch towers or introduce buoys (indicating the danger zones) from the police department and added they would consider all the measures if such a proposal was made to them.