Show cause notice issued to Rushikonda scuba diving operator
Dharma Sastha told this correspondent on Sunday that a team of surveyors will visit Rushikonda for an inspection in another two days
VISAKHAPATNAM: Kakinada Port Officer has issued a show cause notice to Live In Adventures to explain how it carried out scuba diving operations without using a proper diving boat and the kayak accident in which a 24-year-old lifeguard had been killed. A report in this regard appeared in Deccan Chronicle recently.
Port Officer K. Dharma Sastha said: “We have issued notice to Balram Naidu of Live In Adventures to explain how the boy died in the boat accident as well as the entire gamut of water sports activities that he is undertaking with kayaks, speed boats, and water scooter, apart from scuba diving.”
Dharma Sastha told this correspondent on Sunday that a team of surveyors will visit Rushikonda for an inspection in another two days.
In the interim, AP Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) general manager Nageswara Rao has begun his inquiry into the boat mishap and operations of scuba diving without a proper diving boat. He will be making a few more inquiries before submitting a detailed report to the corporation.
Marine police, on their part, have sought copies of the agreement Live In Adventures has with APTDC. In addition to the lifeguard’s death, they are inquiring about the safety aspects of the water sports being organised at Rushikonda.
“No arrests have been made so far with regard to the boat accident. We may initiate action after getting details of the agreement,” said circle inspector Chandrasekhar of Marine Police.
Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI), on the advice of the Ministry of Tourism, had formulated guidelines on scuba diving, which stipulate that all centres offering boat diving must have the stipulated dive boats.
An official from APTDC maintained that the corporation had signed an agreement with Live In Adventures for undertaking adventure water sports at Rushikonda post a technical evaluation conducted by a committee formed by ATOAI.
However, since the accident, the corporation has suspended all activities of Live In Adventures at Rushikonda until further orders.
Kayaks and speed boats of other agencies are, however, operating.