Prayagraj: A day after two boys, aged 10 and 11, drowned at Soham Ashram ghat, senior police officers have ordered intensified patrolling across river ghats to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.Police have decided to deploy additional jal police personnel along with local thana cops at vulnerable ghats, citing an increased rush of youngsters who often come to swim in the river during summer.DCP (city) Maneesh Shandilya told TOI that: “Apart from strengthening deployment, police have also launched an awareness drive in pockets and villages located near riverbanks and ghats, urging people to remain vigilant when minors or others go swimming.”He said jal police personnel have been roped in to maintain strict vigilance at major ghats, including Sangam, and to prevent people from entering deep-water zones.“The department will also install banners and posters marking danger zones, deep-water areas, barricaded stretches and locations with high river flow,” the DCP added.Police have also decided to make maximum use of public address systems to alert people on ghats and appeal to them not to venture into deep waters.In the past three years, several drowning incidents have been reported in the Ganga and Yamuna rivers. Officials of the jal police wing said most such cases involve youngsters who lack proper swimming skills and enter deep waters out of excitement.“We constantly advise citizens to take dips or swim with caution, as the river is deep and currents can be dangerous,” an official said, adding that people are repeatedly warned against swimming at identified dangerous ghats.Last year, jal police conducted a survey of ghats and declared six ghats of the Ganga and Yamuna unsafe. A nearly 10-km stretch in the Ganga Kachar area has also been identified as unsafe for swimming. Police have issued an eight-point advisory, urging citizens to swim only at designated ghats.Police further advised devotees coming for holy dips not to attempt swimming and warned against group swimming at unsafe ghats. Citizens have been cautioned against performing risky acts in water and using mobile phones for selfies at ghats.On Wednesday, police appealed to parents to keep a strict watch on their children and to never allow those who cannot swim to enter rivers.Officials said ghats such as Sangam, Ram Ghat, Kali Ghat, Dashashwamedh Ghat, Arial and Chatnag are considered safer, as jal police personnel and local police are deployed there.
