Canacona coast lifeguards also join strike
HERALD CORRESPONDENT
CANACONA, DEC 7
Over 60 lifeguards posted by Dristhi Rescue Services on Canacona’s coast went on a strike in support of their colleagues in North Goa, who refused to perform their duties after an alleged assault by seniors for the second day on Tuesday.
According to reports, all the personnel engaged by Dhristhi Rescue Services on Goan beaches strike their work on Tuesday with demands that also includes hike in pay packets.
At Palolem beach, a lone lifeguard, reportedly a junior team officer of Dristhi Rescue Services (an overall in-charge of Canacona taluka) by Tuesday afternoon pulled the Jet-ski into the seawaters and was seen taking rounds on the coast.
On Tuesday, Palolem beach remained partially busy as most foreign tourists lying on shore for sunbath while few including some domestic tourist were seen either swimming or taking bath in the sea.
When this correspondent visited Palolem beach, few lifeguard personnel were seen assembled near the lifeguard watch tower, as the in-charge asked a personnel to apply lock to the storeroom-cum-lifeguard watch tower.
According to sources, lifeguards who reported for duty early Tuesday morning made over the rescue tubes, rescue boards, walkie-talkies, etc, normally individually handled by them to their respective captains who then kept it under lock, while operation of Jet-ski or jeep remained standstill throughout the day.
With the maximum 20 lifeguards guarding Palolem beach, on an average 10 personnel each guards the beach shores at Agonda, Patnem, Rajbag and Galgibaga. However, except at Agonda, all the watch towers-cum-storerooms were kept under lock and key.
Initially, all the lifeguards turned up for the duty early Tuesday morning at their respective beaches, however refused to report for duty and almost all reached Palolem and assembled at the lifeguard watch tower.
According to sources, by afternoon, including the team captains (supervisors), some personnel left for Miramar beach in Panjim, where reportedly over 500 personnel from all over the State beaches converged with their demands.
