Sea swimming pools mooted for Vizag beach in view of drowning incidents

Visakhapatnam: In view of the frequent drowning incidents, with one of them occurring on Sunday afternoon, some experts have suggested that the local administration arrange sea swimming pools in select places along the beach so that visitors would not venture into the sea and not face the risk of drowning.

Sea swimming pools or crystal lagoons are popular in Australia, the US and South Africa, where they are built with the main purpose of preventing shark attacks.

Local people are expressing their concern over the negligence of the local government as many people, mostly tourists, are drowning in the sea. Locals are angry over the GVMC withdrawing the life guards from the beaches.

“Sea swimming pools are the best alternative available to save lives and the government should go for them immediately,’’ said CEO of Welfare Holidays, Vijay Mohan. He said APTDC should develop sea swimming pools as more and more people are visiting the Vizag beach of late.

Around  1.7 crore tourists arrived in Vizag in 2021 despite the Covid-19 second wave, which restricted movement in the summer, he said.

In response, collector Mallikarjuna said the administration will try exploring such options without violating the CRZ rules that prevent building of concrete structures on the beach.

Environmentalist Sohan Hatangadi said temporary and makeshift pools can be made. A floating wall with a net drawn down to the bottom of the sea would prevent people from rip current that drags the people deep into the sea, he said.

“Pools, watch towers and life guards can bring down the incidence of drowning in the sea,’’ Hatangadi told DC.

Sources in the APTDC said the idea had been floated in 2016 and a pilot project was planned at Mangamaripeta, Lawson’s Bay, Rushikonda and Sagarnagar. But the plan was abandoned later.