The first step in ensuring the safety of beach-goers has been taken with the installation of CC cameras and a CCTV for monitoring the movements of tourists and visitors venturing into the deep at Rushikonda here on Thursday.
The cameras were formally inaugurated by Police Commissioner J. Purnachandra Rao in presence of Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority Vice-Chairman Kona Sashidhar and the Additional Commissioner of Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation Krishna Murthy.
A safe zone was demarcated in the water with the help of a floating rope for the safety of tourists. Volunteers of the Community Guards caution tourists from time to time over the public address system against swimming or getting into the deep water. They also warn them against crossing the safe zone and the threat of drowning.
The four CC cameras and the CCTV helped watching the movements of tourists sitting at the watch tower. The volunteers would be ready with life jackets and a lifebuoy to rescue drowning person as soon as they get information that a person was being dragged into the deep.
Demo conducted
A demo conducted to drive home the risks of venturing into the sea drew the attention of afternoon visitors and tourists. They were all smiles as the ‘drowning person’ was brought ashore by the volunteers and given the first aid.
Mr. Purnachandra Rao recalled that six students of GITAM University drowned at the same place 35 days ago. He said it was unfortunate that even educated youth were unable to understand the danger of venturing into the sea.
The district administration decided to appoint swimmers and install CC cameras and keep life-saving equipment handy to rescue drowning persons.
He said that Community Guards from the fishermen community were trained in the rescue of drowning persons in addition to police duties during the last 30 days. The training programme would be completed in a week’s time. He appreciated the proprietor of RVR Project for providing four CC cameras and Assistant Commissioner of Police (Madhurawada) Rajender and Inspector Venkata Rao and his team for their efforts in training the volunteers.