As the monsoon season approaches and drowning incidents on the rise across the region, the Kangra district administration has stepped up efforts to prevent these incidents by restricting tourist entry near rivers and flood-prone areas.
To enforce the ban, three home guards have been deployed near the Neugal River at the Kangra bypass. The river, like many others in the area, becomes especially dangerous during the monsoon due to sudden surges in water levels.
Kangra SDM Ishant Jaswal said the local administration had already imposed a blanket ban on the tourist entry and locals gathering near rivers, streams, and drains throughout the district. He emphasised that many tourists, unaware of the risks, venture into rivers and ravines to click photographs or bathe. This behaviour has, unfortunately, led to several fatal incidents in the recent years.
One of the most concerning sites is the Baner River, which has witnessed 10 drowning deaths in the past year alone. Last monsoon, three members of a family from Haryana lost their lives while they were bathing in the river. In just the past week, five people, including two Kashmiri youths and a young girl, have drowned in various parts of the district.
The administration is urging the public, especially tourists, to follow safety advisories and avoid venturing close to water bodies during the monsoon season.
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