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City admin mulls safety norms at Chunchali

By Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Feb 9 � Five cases of drowning in just over one year, the Brahmaputra riverside in Chunchali area under Noonmati police station has raised public apprehension over the safety of the place, especially after the tragic incident of last Sunday where two school students went missing and are yet to be retrieved.

Not surprisingly, the frequency of such identical nature of incidents in the same location has now forced the administration to spare a thought for the need of putting in place a proper vigil along the stretch.

Sources in the district administration and police, when asked to react to the complaints of the local residents over the safety of the place, were unanimous in informing this reporter that steps are likely to be initiated to ensure proper fencing of the area, besides deploying of security personnel to ensure round-the-clock vigil.

�It was due to spurt in similar kind of incidents that the administration had prohibited entry of picnic groups in the area. That step, we believe, has worked quite well. Nevertheless, we are now contemplating to fence the entire stretch,� sources pointed out.

�As far as guarding or keeping the vigil is concerned, home guards of the Noonmati refinery do keep vigil in the area. Having said that, we are also contemplating to increase the same,� the sources stated.

S Das, a resident of the Noonmati area, when asked, opined that though police or district administration cannot be blamed entirely for incidents like the one which happened on Sunday, yet, �we feel that such incidents could be averted if the district administration including police understands their responsibility.�

�Issues like the lack of proper vigil by the police following which the riverside is being used for anti-social activities have always been an issue to which the administration had turned deaf ears,� rued Das.

Another resident of the area when quizzed over the issue, said the area has been witnessing such incidents over the last many years.

�A recent incident when two sisters met �similiar fate� in almost the same area is still very fresh in mind. I think, entry of people, especially under-aged children should be barred on the riverside,� she maintained.

Meanwhile, even as rescue operation in the river Brahmaputra entered its third day, the two students could not be retrieved till the time of filing this report, police sources said.

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