Tourists ignore safety guidelines, venture close to Beas, Parbati

Dipender Manta

Tribune News Service

Mandi, December 29

Tourists visiting Kullu and Manali are putting their lives at risk by going close to the Beas and the Parbati. This month, three such incidents were reported in the two districts. Three youths — one from Bihar, and two from Uttar Pradesh — were washed away in the Beas and the Parbati.

On December 19, a 25-year-old youth from Uttar Pradesh drowned in the Beas while clicking a selfie. Later his body was fished out of the river with the help of divers. On December 26, a 30-year-old youth from Bihar slipped into the Parbati in Kullu district and drowned. On December 27, another youth from Meerut also slipped into the Parbati and was drowned. In the past also, several such incidents were reported.

On June 8, 2014, 24 students of VNR Vignana Jyothi Institute of Engineering and Technology, Hyderabad, were washed away in the Beas when they ventured into the river near Thalaut in Mandi. However, tourists still have not learnt a lesson and are ignoring the safety guidelines issued by the district authorities.

The Mandi and Kullu district administrations have installed warning signboards on the roadside between Mandi and Kullu at key locations to make the tourists aware about the danger involved in going close to the rivers. Tourists park their vehicles on the roadside close to the Beas and go to the riverbank for recreation.

Kullu Deputy Commissioner Richa Verma said, “The district authorities issue advisories at regular intervals to make people aware about the threat to life from going close to the Beas and the Parbati. Besides, tourists have been advised to avoid going to high altitude areas during the winter in view of safety”.