Panaji: State government appointed Drishti Marine lifesavers, along with a hand-picked team of volunteers, will aid the state administration and security agencies to ensure public safety during the celebratory immersion of Ganesh idols at 57 locations in the state.
Navin Awasthi, CEO, Drishti Marine said that the Lifesavers will also assist immersion groups to ferry the idol into the water at locations which witness rough currents.
“The state government appointed lifesaving agency will be deploying its teams of lifesavers and volunteers at 57 locations, including 45 coastal beaches and 12 other immersion sites until the late hours of the night on all the designated visarjan (immersion) days up until September 28,” he said.
Awasthi said that at the designated beaches, teams of lifesavers will assist people and ensure they are safe and assist them to return to shore safely after the immersion process, as the beaches are not yet open for sea access yet.
“In some cases, where the sea conditions are rough, the lifesavers will offer to carry the idol into the deeper sections of the water for immersion after the ceremonial puja,” he added.
Awashti said that Drishti Marine requests people to carry out immersion of their Ganesh idols at the main entry point on beaches where the lifesaving teams will be posted.
The agency has advised adult members of Ganesh immersion groups to closely watch over children on the beach, especially after nightfall, regardless of the water’s apparent shallowness.
Drishti Marine has made arrangements for additional back-up lifesaver teams and vehicles on stand-by in case of any emergency, he said.
