30 October,2014 06:48 AM IST | | Ankoor Anvekar
Following a series of drowning cases at lakes in Navi Mumbai, the civic body has now taken this action to ensure that such incidents are averted in the future
The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) seems to have finally woken up to the danger in leaving its lakes unprotected, and has begun posting security guards across all the 23 lakes under its jurisdiction.
During the festive season, the civic body had also taken action to protect the lakes from water pollution from idol immersions, by dividing most of the lakes under its jurisdiction with a gabion wall
The move has been made in order to prevent the growing number of drowning incidents at the lakes. The NMMC has stationed a security guard at each lake, and two at the bigger lakes at Vashi and Belapur. The decision to deploy the sentries follows several incidents of children drowning in the lakes in the recent months.
Jagannath Sinnarkar, deputy municipal commissioner of the corporation, said, "The main intention behind keeping guards at the lakes is to avoid any untoward incidents and restrict people, especially children, from entering the water bodies. Guards deployed at the lakes will work in two shifts of eight hours each."
Watch out
Every day, the guards will keep an eye on all activity at the lakes from 7 am to 10 pm. Jitesh Mhatre, a guard deployed at one of the lakes, said, "Usually small children are very excited to enter such lakes, even if they can't swim. Not being aware of the possible consequences, some play very close to the banks and could fall in.
Such incidents can be avoided with the help of guards." During the festive season, the civic body had also taken action to protect the lakes from water pollution from idol immersions, by dividing most of the lakes under its jurisdiction with a gabion wall.
Gabion wall
A gabion wall is a retaining wall made of stacked stone filled gabions tied together with metal wire. It acts as a barrier to prevent the spread of water pollution once the idols have been immersed.
The NMMC has 23 lakes under its jurisdiction in total, including five at Belapur, four in Ghansoli, three each at Vashi, Koparkhairne and Airoli, as well as two at Nerul and Turbhe, and one at Kharghar.
