3 youths drown in Sirhind Canal

Sukhmeet Bhasin

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, July 15

Three youths on Sunday drowned in Sirhind Canal near Gobindpura village while talking bath.

Two of them have been identified as Sukhdev Singh, a resident of Bathinda, and Budh Ram, a resident of Bucho Mandi, while the third has not been identified yet.

After getting information, volunteers of NGO Naujawan Welfare Society Gulshan Kumar, Satnam Singh, Safal Goyal, Atul Jain and Yadwinder Kang reached the spot and started rescue operation.

Within an hour, bodies of all three were recovered. The police also reached the spot. The bodies were taken to the Civil Hospital. Tehsildar Sukhbir Singh Brar also reached the hospital.

Despite several incidents occurring in the past, people still don’t abstain from taking bath in Sirhind Canal near Janta Nagar.

Children jump from the parapet of the bridge into the canal.

Though the district administration has imposed a ban on bathing in the Sirhind canal, neither children nor adults follow the orders and continue to risk their lives.

From morning till evening, children can be seen taking bath in the canal. People can also be seen having liquor at times at the bank of the canal.

Additional Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney said, “Efforts have been made to create awareness among people not to take bath in Sirhind Canal. There are strong currents at times in which even best swimmers have problems. But despite imposing ban, people still come to the canal for taking bath.”

She claimed that beat officials kept a check on the canal towards the slum areas and near Janta Nagar. “But we can’t keep checks all along the canal that goes too far. People should understand and not go to the canal for bathing or washing clothes,” she added.

The ADC also claimed that they were telling scientific reasons to the people for not going to the canal. “We will check the place where the incident has taken place and further action would be initiated,” she said.