Now, visitors going to local beaches may need to be extra cautious while taking a dip in the sea as it is curtains down for the Community Guards (CG), who saved hundreds of people from drowning in the past.
About 38 CGs, who were manning R.K Beach, Rushikonda, Yarada and a few other dangerous stretches, were told to go as the contract with the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) was not renewed. This is probably for the first time since the year 2012, that the local beaches are left unguarded, posing a serious threat to the visitors.
During the year 2012, it was the then Police Commissioner J. Purnachandra Rao, who initiated the concept of CGs. Though the main aim was to enhance safety and security to the beach visitors, it also provided employment to the youth. The CGs have saved hundreds of lives at the beaches since then.
The number of visitors to beaches, especially to R.K Beach and Rushikonda, have increased over the past few years. Approximately, 4,000 people visit Rushikonda Beach during weekends and on public holidays. In the last four years, over 220 people reportedly drowned in Visakhapatnam.
Some of the CGs said that the issue has political touch and their contract was not renewed, since many of them were appointed during the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) government.
A former Community Guard said that some of the YSRCP corporators have raised objections to the continuation of their contracts and release of salaries, as they opine that some of them were appointed in an unauthorised manner without evaluating life-saving and swimming skills.
“We have contacted the GVMC officials, police and the District Collector, none of them helped. Our salaries were not paid on time. We were also not provided any special life saving gear. We adjusted them within our salaries only,” he said.
A senior police officer from the city opined that beaches without Community Guards would become death traps.
GVMC Commissioner G. Lakshmisha said that there is an issue with the ownership of the Community Guards between the civic body, police and district administration. “Following the instructions from the Collector, we are trying to put everything in place within a month,” he added.
“Collector will act as nodal officer for the CGs. We will be seeking the help of Coast Guard, who would check the fitness and life-saving skills of the Community Guards. We are also working on the payment structure and who would pay the salaries,” he added.
