Kashmir: Over a dozen cases of drowning in July

Srinagar, July 25: More than a dozen people have drowned across Kashmir so far this month, mostly due to absence of safety gadgets at vulnerable spots.

In the latest mishap, which happened on Sunday, two siblings drowned in a reservoir at Harwan here.

Prior to it, over a dozen cases of drowning have been reported in July.

In most of these cases, the victims drowned with people helplessly watching at the banks.

The people blame the lack of equipment, such as life jackets or boats, at the vulnerable sites for the incidents.

“Last month, a man drowned while trying to save a dog at Tengpora here. He was in water for more than 16 minutes, waiting for help. But no one could rescue him,” said Majid Ahmad, a student.

At Harwan also, where scores of boys go for swimming every day, there are no safety measures in places.

Disaster Management Department has now issued a list of instructions for the people who don’t know swimming.

Interestingly its list of advices, the department has specially mentioned to venture into the water body where special arrangement and rescue cover is ensured.

However, at majority of the terminals including that of the river Jhelum and Dal Lake, no equipment are kept in place to rescue people susceptible to drown.

Director State Disaster Management, Aamir Ali, said it was not possible for them to guard every water body.

“Still, if you talk about Dal Lake, we have distributed life jackets to the boatmen to save tourists in any case of eventuality,” he said.