Goemkarponn desk
PANAJI: With Goa expecting higher tourist footfalls during the upcoming festive week through Christmas and New Year, the lifeguard contractor has scaled up its life-saving operations in the coastal areas, including introducing midnight shifts as well as beefing up the number of lifesavers on beaches, especially along beaches and other water bodies, in order to cater to the expected surge of visitors.
Tourist arrivals to Goa during the festive weekend had dipped in the preceding years on account of the Covid-19 pandemic, but this festive season is expected to reverse the trend.
“We anticipate the next few days to be extremely busy across the coast, especially on beach stretches which witness high footfalls. Accordingly, anticipating the need, we have initiated deployment of additional lifesavers across beaches, especially at the popular beaches on the Sinquerim – Baga stretch, Calangute, Vagator, Morjim, Colva – Benaulim stretch and Palolem,” said Navin Awasthi, Operations Head, of the company.
The company has also deliberately expanded manpower presence from 18 to 24 lifesavers along the busy beach areas of Baga, Miramar, Calangute, and Candolim in north Goa and Colva, Benaulim, and Palolem in south Goa, all of which are beaches which witness peak tourist activity. As many as 25 persons had to be rescued by lifeguards during the New Year’s weekend last year.
While additional personnel are being deployed, lifesavers are also working in shifts to cover the high midnight crowds on Christmas and New Year’s eve. Women lifesavers who are part of the team are also being deployed keeping in mind the high number of female tourists on the shore.
While more than 450 lifesavers will be manning their designated sites and 80 beach safety patrol personnel will be engaged in the operations to ensure unhindered service.
According to Santano Fernandes, a lifesaver and instructor there is a definite need for extra manpower during the festive season. “The two significant issues we prepare ourselves for on Christmas and New Year are crowd management and attending to individuals who are intoxicated. For this reason, deploying more lifesavers helps to mitigate any unforeseen circumstances that may arise,” he said.
Additionally, lifeguard jeep patrolling fleet has been enhanced with additional vehicles, in order to speedily assist with rescues and intensify patrolling along the beach stretches.
Jet skis have also been stationed at all key beaches. Additional jet skis have also been deployed at popular beaches which witness higher tourist footfalls. Every tower and jeep has a high-powered two-way radio set installed to enable a strong communications capability. Lifesavers manning these jet skis also coordinate with each other at various locations during search and rescue operations.
Lifesavers are posted at the below-mentioned beaches and water bodies:
South Goa: Baina, Bogmollo, Velsao, Hollant, Arrosim, Majorda, Utorda, Betalbatim, Colva, Benaulim, Taj – Benaulim, Varca, Zalor, Seranbatim Cavellosim, Mobor, Agonda, Betul, Cananguinim, Cabo De Rama, Pallolem, Cola Beach, Patnem, Rajbagh, Talpona, Galgibag and Pollem,
North Goa: Querim, Coco Beach, Arambol, Ashwem and Mandrem, Morjim, Vagator, Anjuna, Baga-1, Baga-2, Calangute, Candolim-1, Candolim-2, Sinquerim, Miramar, Vaiguinim –Donapaula, Siridao /Bambolim as well as Dudhsagar Waterfalls and Mayem Lake.
Waterfall and Lake : Dudhsagar Waterfalls and Mayem Lake.
Total: North beaches (16) + South beaches (26) + Waterfall and Lake (02) = 44
Lifesavers operate from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm (until sunset). Post sunset from 6:00 pm to 12 midnight the beaches are patrolled by the Beach Safety Patrol (BSP).
Comment