Lifeguards are being trained at the Puri beach for safety of tourists. Picture by Sarat Patra

Bhubaneswar, Jan. 13: The sea at Puri is turning treacherous for many tourists. Of the thousands of tourists who converge on the golden beaches everyday, almost 60 people have lost their lives in the last three years. Last year, 27 people were drowned in the sea.

To contain this rising trend, especially with the sea resort expecting millions of pilgrims and tourists during the Nabakaleibara festival in 2015, Kalinga Divers’ Foundation Trust has initiated a 10-day awareness programme for the nolia (traditional marine fishermen of Puri).

In the first phase of the programme, which is being held with help from the Puri Zilla Parishad and Orissa branch of the Rashtriya Life Saving Society (RLSS), 18 nolias, who also perform lifeguard’s duty on the beach, are being trained to carry out rescue operations.

President of Kalinga Divers’ Foundation Trust and scuba diver Sabir Bux said: “The nolias will be able to serve tourists better only if they acquire better technique.”

Bux said the first phase of the programme would end on January 18 but more nolias would undergo skill upgrade at a later stage.

National lifeguard instructor and examiner Gopal Naskar is training the nolias and the sessions include surf and beach exercises as well as audio-visual classes.

At a later date, the nolias will be taken to countries such as Malaysia and Thailand for interaction with those engaged in similar profession there.

“They will also be trained to identify threat situations emerging from bad surf conditions such as rip current and surging waves. They are being trained to raise alarm to stop people from entering the water during such dangerous conditions,” said Himashu Das, president, RLSS, Orissa branch.

The nolias will also be taught beach safety norms of the International Lifesaving Federation. These rules are followed across the world,” he said.

The nolias are also excited about the training. Nolia K. Hari said: “The training programme has already helped me acquire modern techniques for rescue operations. We have been trained on how to breathe underwater and fight the current.”

Welcoming the effort, Zilla Parishad president Shankarshan Parida said: “Puri sea is unpredictable and so tourist deaths are becoming frequent. Only traditional nolias understand the nature of the sea they have grown up with and they are the best lifeguards who can rescue tourists when needed,” said Parida.

“The trained nolias will double up as lifeguards when lakhs of devotees and tourists will come here for the 2015 Nabakaleibara festival. During the festival, idols of Lord Jagannath and His siblings are replaced with new ones,” Parida said.