Udupi : Deputy Commissioner Dr Vishal R said that the district administration will give priority to safety of visitors to Malpe beach while trying to exploit the tourism potentials of the district.

After handing over certificates to 100 students trained in rescue operation by the Rashtriya Life Saving Society, India, Dr Vishal said that there are plenty of travellers visiting the beach. “It is essential to have ample number of life guards to protect the victim, in case of mishap. Home guards are appointed, however, in order to ensure better safety, students from Narayana Guru School, Fisheries School and Gandhi School and inmates from the Udupi Sports hostel have been trained in life-saving skills,” he said.

“These students can now identify and rescue visitors to the beach who are in danger. These students will be given racer boards, rescue tubes and rescue boats to conduct the rescue operations. Interested people can contact Sudesh Shetty for training,” said the officer.

He added that there is sufficient funds to sponsor the programme under the Malpe Beach Development Committee – Rs two lakh is spent on training the 100 students.

The Rashtriya Life Saving Society member and international swimmer Partha Varanasi said the Society is a an non-profit and voluntary organisation dedicated to help people learn modern life-saving techniques.

The Society is the leading provider of training in first aid, resuscitation, water safety, life saving and life guarding skills in India. The Society, through its volunteers, motivates people, especially youngsters, to learn how to help a person in distress.

He added that the golden time in saving the life of a person who is drowning is three to six minutes. “As per the internationally studied and accosted notion, the most number of deaths take place while the rescued person is being transported to the hospital. The possibility of death is high owing to the lack of resuscitation,” he pointed out.

Varanasi added that Australian beaches are always considered the safest, owing to the security on the beaches, and also the cleanliness maintained. “It is the awareness created among the people, including the children, that is effective,” he said.

“India is on the threshold of initiating safer techniques in the direction of securing lives,” Varanasi said and called upon the entire community to be involved in the process.

He said the short-term Nipper programme ensures the trainees learn the skills of lives. “Besides, it trains how to keep beaches safe and hygienic. The programme uses playful techniques, as the students were allowed to play on rescue surf boats and beach safety equipment during weekends. With the objective of avoiding mishaps, both on dry land and water, the students were also trained to equip themselves with all sort of rescue operation in emergency,” he explained.