VISAKHAPATNAM: The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) is planning to terminate the services of lifeguards who have been saving lives of those about to drown on beaches, after the present contract ends on March 31.
Vizag beaches witnessed a series of drowning deaths in 2010 and 2012 which dented the image of city. Stung by criticism that local bodies failed to control the drowning deaths, the GVMC, with the support of a few other departments, recruited the lifeguardson contract basis to assist the city police in rescue activities.
At present, 38 lifeguards are serving in Vizag city. Police said 18 lifeguards are posted at Ramakrishna Beach, 10 at Rushikonda beach, six at Yarada Beach and four at Jodugullapalem.
The lifeguards have rescued over 100 people from drowning in the past two years (2020 & 2021). “We have been saving the lives by risking our own as we don’t have life-saving equipment such as life jackets, marine lifesaving lifebuoys, ropes, public announcement system and boats. We put ourselves at risk sometimes (when rip current is high) to save the visitors.
Speaking to TOI, one of the lifeguards, P Pola Rao, said; “The GVMC authorities have told us that our contract will not be renewed after March 31. They further told us to approach the city police department saying that though the life guards were appointed by the GVMC, we are working under police department. The GVMC has failed to pay us regular wages. After a delay of months, GVMC paid seven months’ wages in January 2022 and four months’ wages are still pending. Each guard is paid 18,000 and after statutory deductions, we get around 15,000 per month,” he added.
The professors in the meteorology and oceanography department of Andhra University, who studied the rip current phenomenon in Vizag beaches, said rip current is strong and narrow current of water moving away from the shore and has been causing drowning deaths in Vizag city.
The police department is chalking out plans to meet the GVMC authorities on the renewal of contract of lifeguards. “We are also planning to rope in star hotels and a few PSUs for funding ,” police said.
