The district administration has come out with a slew of safety protocols for coracle rides in Hogenakkal. The service was banned after a family of six was drowned in a coracle capsize here on August 30.
In the wake of protests by coracle operators, calling for permission to restart the service, the administration had worked out a three-tier safety protocol, along with minor infrastructural facilities such as cloak room in Hogenakkal, Collector K. Vivekanandan told The Hindu.
Under the protocol, children would not be allowed to take the coracle ride. A tourist coracle equipped with floats would be allowed to carry four plus one person including the driver.
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It would be accompanied by another tourist coracle, and these two would be followed by third ‘rescue’ coracle with four life guards. The life guards would be attired in fluorescent uniforms for identification.
The protocol entails ‘fixed lifeguards’ who would man the tip of the rocks and watch over the coracles with binoculars.
In the past month, coracle operators were given exclusive training in rescue operation. “While all of them knew to swim, they had to be trained for rescue operations,” Mr. Vivekanandan said.
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The Collector said the operations would have to commence soon but with the necessary safety protocols. “We had chalked out conditions in consultation with the coracle operators. The operators have also asked for a bathroom facility. Since it’s a forest area, infrastructure additions should not infringe on forest laws. So, it’s taking time to put up the facilities,” the Collector said. A cloak room was being set up to house all belongings, including handbags, shoes and phones. “Shoes could pull down swimming ability, and phones will not be permitted anymore.”