At least four youth including a four-year-old boy lost their lives while taking bath at different places of Kashmir in the first four days of this month.
The figures available with a local news agency, Kashmir News Observer (KNO), suggest that four youth drowned to death in the ongoing month of July at different parts of Kashmir valley including Guri Nard area of Verinag, Qaziabad area of Anantnag, Reban area of Sopore and Soiteng Lasjan area of Srinagar.
The deceased have been identified as Saqib Ahmad Badana, son of Bilal Ahmad Badana of Gurinard Verinag, four-year-old boy Aleem Ahmad, son of Fayaz Ahmad Rather, resident of Qaziabad Anantnag, 14-year-old boy namely Adnan Muzaffar Dar, son of Muzaffar Ahmad Dar, resident of Reban area of Sopore and 14-year-old Asrar Ahmad Dar of Padshahi Bagh.
As the heatwave continues to grip Kashmir parts, the youth mostly minor throng the water bodies to beat the heat. However, taking baths at the vulnerable spots are leading to the loss of lives as well while the parents have appealed to the authorities to take stringent measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
Ghulam Rasool Shah, a parent, said that amid the summer break, the children throng the water bodies frequently and thus risk their lives. “The concerned officials should work on strategies to prevent drowning incidents and in this regard, steps should be taken to educate people about the risk of bathing at water bodies and also issue specific advisories.”
Meanwhile, Chief Engineer Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) Kashmir, Er Naresh Kumar told KNO that they have already issued advisories in this regard and will issue fresh advisory.
He said the parents must take care of their children and unnecessary visits to river and other water body banks must be avoided besides that wherever there is water depth, the people who don’t know swimming should avoid taking bath there. (KNO)
