In the past 11 days, seven lives have been lost to drowning in Goa. This is not merely a statistical anomaly. It is a clear sign of systemic failure. And the most painful part is that these tragedies were preventable.
Just as the public was reeling from the tragic stampede incident in Shirgao, fresh news emerged with children drowning in Baga, Sirvoi and Agonda. These incidents, which have occurred since April 20, are not isolated. They are part of a grim pattern stitched together by one common thread: negligence.
The blame does not rest on any one party alone. It is shared by careless tourists who flout rules, by parents who underestimate water hazards, and most importantly, by administrations that have failed to enforce even the most basic safety protocols.
The Shirgao incident, which claimed young lives, laid bare the absence of timely safety intervention. In Agonda, a three-year-old girl drowned in a hotel swimming pool where no security guard was stationed. Is it too much to expect that swimming pools in commercial establishments should be monitored? That the beaches; Goa’s biggest tourist draw should have trained lifeguards at all hours. Apparently, for Goa’s tourism machinery, these are still questions, not mandates.
Tourism is the lifeblood of Goa’s economy. But the careless perception that “anything goes” here is turning a vibrant state into a cautionary tale. Negative publicity is already on the rise, with headlines suggesting that Goa is becoming unsafe for travellers. The government must ask itself: Is it doing enough to counter this narrative, not with press releases, but with action?
In some of the recent drowning cases, lifeguards were reportedly present but their instructions were ignored. In others, there were no lifeguards at all. This inconsistency speaks volumes about the patchy implementation of safety norms. Why is it that lifeguard deployment is still being treated as a discretionary option
rather than a statutory requirement?
It is legally mandatory for hotels with pools to appoint lifeguards. How many comply? Who is auditing them? If enforcement agencies are asleep, they are complicit. Every hotel that fails to ensure pool safety, every beach without a posted guard, every waterfall without a warning sign is an invitation to disaster.
Let us not hide behind excuses. Yes, some tourists behave recklessly, swimming under the influence, ignoring signs, and venturing into dangerous waters. But the State cannot absolve itself by citing individual carelessness. If signboards alone were sufficient deterrents, we would not be mourning these seven deaths. Clearly, deterrence must come in the form of supervision and intervention.
Drowning does not discriminate by age or awareness. Among the victims were innocent children with no understanding of danger, and well-informed youth between the ages of 20 and 25. From Dudhsagar to Mhadei, from Mashem-Canacona to Ustem-Sattari, these sites of beauty have turned into danger zones. When young people die at scenic spots, the tragedy resonates far beyond families, it tarnishes the entire image of the State.
Goa had already restricted access to waterfalls during the monsoon to prevent accidents. Yet now, with summer water levels lower, drowning cases continue. The season may change, but the inaction remains constant. That is what makes these deaths not just tragic, but inexcusable.
This must be a wake-up call for every village panchayat, every taluka, and every administrative department involved in tourism, law enforcement, and local governance. Permanent lifeguards, safety patrols, surveillance cameras, emergency alert systems, and hefty fines for safety violations must become the norm; not after the next accident, but now.
Each time a child like Sehar or Fatima drowns, or a young adult disappears beneath the currents, we are reminded of what it means to fail as a society. These deaths are not flukes. They are failures of planning of enforcement and of will. Repeating the same mistake is no longer negligence. It is complicated.
The government must act, and act swiftly. Let no more lives be lost to Goa’s waters simply because no one was watching.