Abandoned mining quarries to be fenced to avoid incidents of drowning: Goa CM

Panaji, Jul 26 (PTI) Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday told the legislative assembly that all abandoned mining quarries in the state will be fenced by the next monsoon session to prevent people from entering such spots for swimming and curb incidents of drowning.

He was responding to a calling attention motion moved by Congress MLA Altone D’Costa, who had pointed out that though the state government had formed a special committee last year, deaths were still occurring due to drowning at different places.

Incidents of people drowning at lakes, ponds, waterfalls and water-filled mining quarries were happening even during the current monsoon season.

He sought to know the effectiveness of the state-appointed committee formed to prevent such incidents.

Responding to the issue, Sawant said that the state government was working on creating awareness among people against venturing out for swimming at dangerous spots.

“The state government has been issuing orders banning the entry of visitors at such places. Still, people keep on looking for new places, including water-filled mining quarries. We have started fencing all such quarries. All the quarries would be fenced by the next monsoon,” the chief minister said.