Mangaluru: The number of cyclones are increasing every year. At least one member from each family in the city needs to be trained in the skills that make people comfortable with water, said swimming coach and Director of Surflife Saving (India), Partha Varanashi.
He was speaking during an orientation about surf life saving and other life saving skills for visitors at the Tannirbhavi beach. Expressing that there is a need for people to learn how to swim and rescue others, he announced that a Surfline Saving School will be established by the Dakshina Kannada district administration at the second entrance to the beach. The proposed school will train people in life-saving skills on a regular basis.
Training will be given on how to swim in the sea and use these skills to rescue others in danger. Setting up a Surf Life Saving School was one of the steps proposed by the state tourism department with a view to improving the facilities available at the Tannirbhavi, Sasihitlu and other beaches back in 2017. An amount of Rs 5 crores was sanctioned by the then tourism minister Priyank M. Kharge for this purpose.
Speaking on the occasion of the World Tourism Day recently, district Deputy Commissioner Dr K V Rajendra had announced that the Surf Life Saving School would be set up shortly. Mangaluru North MLA Y Bharath Shetty had also chaired a meeting during which the project was discussed. “We have proposed to build a structure made of metal and other materials in the green canopy of the beach, instead of a concrete structure. The design in the process of being finalised and work on the construction is likely to start soon,” the MLA had said.
Since the start of its operation in the year 2013, Surflife Saving (India), which is an affiliate of Rashtriya Life Saving Society (India), has trained 38 people in surf life-saving at Tannirbhavi. Six of these trainees have gone on to participate in international surf life saving competitions. The organisation has trained a total of 200 children in Udupi and 300 youths in Karwar in 2016. From October, Surflife Saving (India) has been conducting one-hour training sessions at the Tannirbhavi beach on Sundays.
