Karnataka - Bangalore   

Exploiting a loophole in the law

BANGALORE: Are the companies propagating adventure sports in Karnataka using a loophole in the law and putting the lives of adventure buffs in danger? If the death of V. Bhargava, who met a tragic end during bungee jumping near here on Sunday, is any indication, many are operating with disdain.

Karnataka does not have any law or guidelines to protect the safety of those participating in adventure games, especially those that involve high risk such as bungee jumping.

Besides, the State does not have an agency that is responsible for certifying organisations or clearing such events. In such a scenario, most events are cleared by the deputy commissioners of the districts.

Though many minor injuries such as bruises during bungee jumping have been reported in the past, the one reported on Sunday is the first major tragedy in the adventure sports arena that is fast becoming popular. “Normally, the level of safety and security for the participant depends on the company organising the event. Safety aspects are ignored in the cost-cutting exercise by many as daily expenditure is high,” a top executive of an outdoor sports company told The Hindu.

A bungee-jumping event, according to industry insiders, entails expenses about Rs. 80,000 to Rs. 90,000 that includes the rent for crane and place, professional charges and others.

“Even if the facility is run to peak capacity, we can have about 100 jumps a day with each jump priced at between Rs. 700 and Rs. 1,000. In this scenario, either the event has to be sponsored or the organiser has to cut cost,” the executive said.

Safety net that is considered to be a good part of the jumping gear was missing on Sunday.

There is no organisation in the country that certifies “bungee master” who is overall in-charge of the event. “A majority of bungee masters have learnt the art from experienced ‘masters’ in New Zealand or Thailand. In some cases, they have been trained by bungee masters during their visit to India. It is more of a hands-on experience on which the masters operate,” sources in the industry said.

Besides, a large number of these experts do not undergo the crucial outdoor first aid course that would have come in handy on Sunday. While the certification is expensive, it has to be renewed once in six months, which is stated to be deterrent to undergo the course.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) is proposing to bring out guidelines to ensure safety of those taking part in adventure sports. The exercise taken up in the light of such accidents will involve certification of the agencies that promote adventure sports

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