Karwar: Lifeguard service has been extended to 10 beaches in Uttara Kannada district to take up rescue operation in case of any drowning incidents in the sea reports.

Earlier the service was available only in Karwar, Gokarna, Kudle, Om and Murudeshwar beaches. The service was started in these five places after the first batch training which took place in December 2016 in Karwar during the Karavali Utsav. After the professional training, lifeguards were given the required equipment to take up rescue operation and were deployed at five beaches in the district in the first phase.

About a month ago, the second batch lifeguard training session was organised in Karwar and additional lifeguards were deployed by the Ravindranath Tagore Beach Protection and Development Authority in five other beaches. Lifeguards have already been deployed at Honey and Nadibhag beaches in Ankola taluk, Kumta beach and Apsarakonda beach in Honnavar. From September onwards, a lifeguard will be deployed at Majali beach near Karwar.

To strengthen the lifeguard service at various beaches, the authority has purchased a few more equipment, including binoculars, rescue tubes, ropes, first-aid boxes, uniforms, torches and flags and poles to mark the dangerous spots in the sea. Most of these equipment have been distributed to the lifeguards. The authority has spent Rs 5 lakh in this regard. Along with these equipment, seven watch towers will come up in these beaches on the lines of Murudeshwar and Gokarna.

A couple of months back, a watch tower was established at Murudeshwar beach and another tower was opened at Gokarna beach on Tuesday. Other beaches will also get such towers, so that the lifeguards can easily monitor the movement of tourists and warn them whenever they cross the dangerous lines.

H Prasanna, additional deputy commissioner and beach development authority secretary, said, In the last 7-8 months, the lifeguards have saved 15 tourists, including foreigners, from drowning in the seawater. “As drowning cases have not been reported after the deployment of lifeguards, we have extended lifeguard service to most of the beaches. The lifeguards have been provided with all necessary equipment,” he added.