All of us love to click selfies but getting carried away can lead to the risk of life. Which is why Mumbai had declared some no selfie zones while the Indian Railways had implemented laws to stop people from taking selfies in railway tracks. Following these footsteps, it is now Goa that is refraining people from clicking selfies. 24 no selfie zones have sprung up in Goa post the alarming increase in deaths resulting from not being careful while clicking selfies in certain areas. The measures have been taken in the wake of two tourists from Tamil Nadu who died in while trying to click selfies on the rocky cliffs of Goa.
India has reported the maximum number of deaths due to clicking selfies in the previous years. These are those times when the external authorities had to intervene.
Ravi Shankar, CEO of Drishti Marine, a state government appointed private lifeguard agency, has identified the following ‘No Selfie Zones in Goa’. These include Dona Paula Jetty, Anjuna, Arambol, Morjim, Vagator, Kerim, Baga River, Sinquerim Fort, Ashwem, and areas between Bambolim and Siridao in North Goa. In South Goa, these spots include Bogmalo, Agonda, Japanese Garden, Canaguinim, Baina, Betul, Cabo De Rama, Talpona, Polem, Khola, Galgibag, and Rajbagh.
To make people aware, list highlighting the dos and don’ts with proper signages have already been implemented as prevention measures in these zones. Red flags have sprung up at the beaches to mark them as dangerous and therefore ‘no swim zones’. Lifeguards are stationed on the beaches from 7-30 AM to 6 PM. Drishti has appointed two lifeguards at each tower to take charge of any emergency upto 8 PM. Further the Beach Safety Patrol (BSP) patrols and observes the beaches from sunset till midnight.
People tend to forget that their safety is also in their own hands, not just their phone. The next time you feel like taking selfies at a particular spot, make sure it’s absolutely safe and don’t get too carried away in the experience!
A writer by choice, a photographer by passion, a seasonal sailor preferably monsoons and a pilot when the wind is just right! When not in the city, I’m often found chasing sunrises in the mountains or sunsets at the beaches!
