TEAM HERALD

teamherald@herald-goa.com

PANJIM: Could Goa’s beaches, choc-o-block with tourists ~ many of whom plunge into the sea without second thoughts and sometimes under the influence of liquor ~ will be without lifeguards from September 19 onwards?

While the tourism ministry believes that Drishti Special Response Services (DSRS) will not withdraw its lifeguards from Goa’s beach-belt from Thursday next, Drishti finishes its tenure of providing rescue services and has not informed of withdrawing its one month’s notice which expires September 19.

This only means that patrolling of the waters along Goa’s beaches will cease as more than 550 lifeguards are expected to pull out and lifeguard towers may be shut down later next week.

However, Director of Tourism Nikhil Desai when contacted by Herald said he was confident that Drishti will not suspend services.

“I don’t think they will withdraw,” he said adding that the beach and water patrol service tenders will be out next week.

“There are procedures to be followed and things take time,” he repeated adding that the file is moving so that tenders could be floated at the earliest for appointment of an agency before the tourism season begins.

What has however raised concerns is the fact that Drishti’s notice suspending services from Goa’s shoreline coincides with the 10th day of the Ganesh immersions where patrolling is stepped up to meet unprecedented incidents. Last year, as many as 9 persons were rescued in one incident at Baina during the immersion ceremonies.

High-level officials of the DSRS chose not to respond to Herald queries about the deadline. However, sources say that the agency continues to remain disturbed that even three months on the government has still not floated tenders for patrol and lifeguard services and neither have any payments been made for the extension of services since

June 15 this year. To add

to this, it is learnt lifeguards have received termination notices.