Palamu DC holds brainstorming session after six drowning deaths, seeks water-safety measures
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK Daltonganj, September 24: A day after six people drowned in Palamu, Deputy Commissioner Dilip Pratap Singh on Thursday…
Mourners gather following the six drowning deaths reported in Palamu on Black Wednesday.
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Daltonganj, September 24: A day after six people drowned in Palamu, Deputy Commissioner Dilip Pratap Singh on Thursday held a brainstorming session to explore ways to prevent or minimise drowning incidents and strengthen the district’s preparedness for water-related emergencies.
The meeting assumes significance after the Black Wednesday drowning tragedy, in which six lives were lost in the Koyel and Jinjoi rivers during Karma Dali immersion-related activities.
The brainstorming session sought to identify practical measures to reduce the risk of drowning in rivers, reservoirs, and other water bodies across Palamu, particularly during the monsoon and religious immersion rituals.
The discussion comes against the backdrop of concerns over the unpredictable nature of rain-fed rivers. The Koyel, which passes through Daltonganj before joining the Sone River in Haidernagar, can have sharp variations in water depth over short stretches, creating serious risks for non-swimmers.
The district also has several abandoned stone quarries that fill with water during the monsoon and can become potential drowning sites.
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Need for local rescue network
The meeting also highlighted the need for better local preparedness, including identifying trained divers and creating a readily accessible database of their contact numbers at the panchayat level.
The objective is to ensure that trained personnel can be contacted quickly in the event of a drowning or other water-related emergency.
The administration is also examining measures such as fencing vulnerable abandoned quarry pits and improving coordination among departments concerned with mining, fisheries and disaster management.
Black Wednesday exposes safety gaps
The six deaths on Wednesday occurred in the Koyel and Jinjoi rivers during Karma Dali immersion-related activities. Five people drowned at Bokeeya under Chainpur police station limits, while a 15-year-old girl died in the Jinjoi river at Nani Jhariya under Paton police station limits.
The latest tragedy has renewed the focus on Palamu drowning deaths, Koyel River safety, Jinjoi River safety, water safety during Karma Puja, disaster preparedness, local divers and drowning prevention.
The administration’s Thursday brainstorming session is aimed at ensuring that the tragedy leads to concrete preventive measures rather than merely an emergency response after lives are lost.
