Javeed Ahmed Dar, a resident of Baniyari village in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district has become the latest victim of tragedy that has been repeating itself with shocking regularity in the Valley. According to reports, a boat turned turtle in Wular lake on the morning of November 2. While two persons in the boat were rescued, Javed went missing and his body was recovered later in the evening. This is not the first time that such a tragedy has taken place in Kashmir and it is quite likely that it won’t be the last. It is only a matter of time that another Javed or Shabir or Imran is waiting to perish in our water bodies. It is not that this senseless loss of life can not be prevented. The tragedy is that we tend to interpret these tragedies as a part of life, that a man perishing in a lake here or a woman drowning in a river there is not a big deal. The fact is that every human life is precious. A tree cut can be replaced with another. A glass of water emptied can be filled again. But when a human life is lost, it can not be brought back. And the wearer knows where the shoe pinches. To say that these lives can not be saved is not just shameful but grossly criminal. Citing one example of Srinagar’s iconic Dal Lake should suffice. Hundreds of shikaras have been rowing on the pristine waters of the lake for several decades. The numbers have only stacked up over the years. These wooden boats are an important component of Kashmir’s tourism sector. They add precious little memories to the lives of both tourists as well as locals. But how many times has the government carried out inspection of these boats and certified that they are fit for use? Has any inspection ever been carried out at all? Then there is the issue of passenger safety too. Are these boat rowers fit for their job? Who has issued them fitness certificates? Do these shikara owners bother to keep life vests with them, just in case a tragedy strikes? The answer to all these questions is a big no. The government can’t take this issue lightly. Proper infrastructure, trained manpower, strict rules (including stringent punishment) for venturing near water bodies unnecessarily and vigilant officials can together certainly play a great role in preventing these tragedies from striking again and again.
Javeed Ahmed Dar, a resident of Baniyari village in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district has become the latest victim of tragedy that has been repeating itself with shocking regularity in the Valley. According to reports, a boat turned turtle in Wular lake on the morning of November 2. While two persons in the boat were rescued, Javed went missing and his body was recovered later in the evening. This is not the first time that such a tragedy has taken place in Kashmir and it is quite likely that it won’t be the last. It is only a matter of time that another Javed or Shabir or Imran is waiting to perish in our water bodies. It is not that this senseless loss of life can not be prevented. The tragedy is that we tend to interpret these tragedies as a part of life, that a man perishing in a lake here or a woman drowning in a river there is not a big deal. The fact is that every human life is precious. A tree cut can be replaced with another. A glass of water emptied can be filled again. But when a human life is lost, it can not be brought back. And the wearer knows where the shoe pinches. To say that these lives can not be saved is not just shameful but grossly criminal. Citing one example of Srinagar’s iconic Dal Lake should suffice. Hundreds of shikaras have been rowing on the pristine waters of the lake for several decades. The numbers have only stacked up over the years. These wooden boats are an important component of Kashmir’s tourism sector. They add precious little memories to the lives of both tourists as well as locals. But how many times has the government carried out inspection of these boats and certified that they are fit for use? Has any inspection ever been carried out at all? Then there is the issue of passenger safety too. Are these boat rowers fit for their job? Who has issued them fitness certificates? Do these shikara owners bother to keep life vests with them, just in case a tragedy strikes? The answer to all these questions is a big no. The government can’t take this issue lightly. Proper infrastructure, trained manpower, strict rules (including stringent punishment) for venturing near water bodies unnecessarily and vigilant officials can together certainly play a great role in preventing these tragedies from striking again and again.
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