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Kakinada beach gobbing up lives
The sea near here has claimed lives of over 100 during the past 10 years, including 20 during the past two years alone. Yet there are no sign boards cautioning people against venturing into the sea for swimming or bathing. This is attributed to negligence by the officials, who evince more interest in celebrating the beach festival rather than taking precautions to prevent deaths due to swimming.
Kakinada: The sea near here has claimed lives of over 100 during the past 10 years, including 20 during the past two years alone. Yet there are no sign boards cautioning people against venturing into the sea for swimming or bathing. This is attributed to negligence by the officials, who evince more interest in celebrating the beach festival rather than taking precautions to prevent deaths due to swimming.
Not a single police constable has been posted near the beach as a measure of security. The East Godavari district has 160-km long beach. The beaches at port trust and Antarvedi are attractive to tourists. The state government has been promoting beach tourism.
As a result, the number of those who visit the beaches in the district has swelled to thousands. Development of NTR beach and other permanent structures is attracting more and more tourists. Recently, the velocity of waves that form the undercurrent has increased, but there were no signs cautioning the people about it.
During weekends students from colleges in the vicinity congregate in large number at beaches. “The government is more interested in levying parking fees, but not keen to put up display boards cautioning people “It is dangerous to bathe here.” Moreover, the vendors sell eatables at double the cost” laments a local resident.
Besides the beach near here, the ones at Konapapapeta, Uppada and the confluence of River Godavari with the sea at Antarvedi, Vodalarevu are a big draw of tourists. During the auspicious Telugu month of Kartika, many bathe in sea at Antarvedi. The proportion of deaths due to drowning is also high there. It may be recalled that five persons of a family met with a watery grave recently while bathing in the sea near here.
The anchorage port and deep water port changed the character of the sea. The depth of the sea especially near the shore is increasing. The government is saddled with the responsibility of preventing accidents besides promoting tourism.
By Adapa Appa Rao
