Due to frequent incidents of drowning of school and college students in rivers in and around Cuttack city, the district administration has issued an advisory asking the students not to venture into water bodies during festive occasions without the supervision of experts.
The advisory came after an administrative inquiry report suggested that the students excitedly participate in the immersion festivals of Ganesh Puja and Saraswati Puja and enter into water bodies to immerse the clay idols inviting trouble. It has also been decided to ensure that the height of idols for these pujas shall not be more than three feet so that they could be immersed in shallow waters.
“Besides these occasions, we have also asked the students not to enter into water bodies during Holi festival and Sani Osha,”, said district Collector NC Mishra, adding that instructions in this regard have been issued to all school and college authorities of the district, including the Ravenshaw University to sensitise the students.
The administrative inquiry had been ordered after the drowning of four Ravenshaw University students on April 2 this year in the Mahanadi near the Jobra Barrage while bathing. A three-member committee headed by ADM BB Dash said in its report, “No outside factor seemed to have motivated the students for a bath in the river. There seems to be no foul play behind it. It was a decision of theirs out of an anxiety for an enjoyable bath in the cool river waters on a hot summer day.”
The district administration has decided to regulate entry of public into the river through proper ghats. Display of warnings would be in place at vulnerable points in the river and a massive awareness programme would be carried out in all educational institutions, the Collector said.