Jet Ski at Puri beach goes defunct after a week

Puri: A Jet Ski which was inaugurated at Puri sea beach with much hype, to be used in rescue work during mishaps is lying defunct since two months after a week’s operation even as drowning deaths continue.

Although used for recreational purposes generally, the watercraft is also handy during rescue operations in sea beaches. With the noble idea to assist lifeguards employed to oversee visitors’ safety at the sea beach, a Jet Ski was deployed on September 14 but after 10 days it broke down and is lying defunct ever since at fire services circle office in Puri.

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On the other hand the administration is clueless as incidents of drowning at the sea beach continue.

According to Bichitra Kumar Panda, Fire Safety Officer, Puri Circle; in the last one year, as many as eight persons have met their watery grave in the bathing zone (a beach line of nearly 2 km from Digabareni Chowk, divided into 14 sectors) itself.

On Tuesday, a youth from Ranchi died while taking bath in the sea. Even though lifeguards were nearby the spot where the incident happened, they were helpless in rescuing the youth from drowning.

Tourists blame it partly on the lack of immediate rescue preparedness and absence of vehicles like Jet Skis.

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“Life guards could do more with the help of a vehicle like Jet Ski which we generally find in more numbers in beaches of Goa and elsewhere,” a tourist said, adding that such incidents could be averted if facilities like Jet Skis are made available by the government.

Meanwhile, concerned authorities said that they are helpless since the Jet Ski was brought from Mumbai and there are no servicing centres anywhere near so repairing the vehicle is difficult.

“After we reported the incident, the manufacturer sent a mechanic. We have asked for replacement of spares and soon it will start functioning,” Panda said.

While there was a provision for two Jet Skis for Puri beach, the other one is yet to be made operational.

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