Karnataka: Lifeguards battle poor wages, unruly revellers

KARWAR: Uttara Kannada district has some of the most pristine beaches and is a big draw with tourists, especially foreigners, due to its proximity to Goa. Unfortunately, there aren’t enough lifeguards patrolling the beaches.
Raju Ambig, a lifeguard at Gokarna’s Kudle Beach, says during weekends the beach sees a footfall of 10,000 to 15,000. “There is a section of tourists who refuse to heed our warnings.
Often drunk revellers create a ruckus and handling them becomes a challenge. In the last month alone, we rescued about 20 people from drowning,’’ he said.
Uday Harkantra has been a lifeguard for the past six years at a beach in Kumta. The lifeguards, he says, need more equipment. “The government must consider a hike in the salaries of lifeguards. We are expecting our ID cards within a week. We urge the administration to streamline the salary process and ensure prompt salaries even during off season. While basic amenities at the beaches must improve, we request the government to pro-vide financial support in case of accidents or death during a rescue,” he added.
Additional deputy commissioner Krishnamurthy has said the tourism department will look into the demands of lifeguards.
Ravidas M Walekar, Uttara Kannada district tourism consultant, said 10 tourist mitras have been appointed at beaches. “We will visit all the beaches from Tuesday and address the problems. The administration has placed 27 lifeguards at beaches and waterfalls from last four years and every year they undergo refresher training to ensure they are fit and well-versed with life-saving techniques. On increasing salaries and providing more equipment, the administration will consider them,” he added.