NAROWAL: One hundred and ninety-eight people drowned in ponds, storm water drains, canals and rivers across Punjab during the last two months.

Most of them drowned while bathing in water to beat the heat and fell victim to accidental drowning, according to the data of the Rescue 1122.

Twenty-one people who drowned belonged to Gujranwala district, 19 drowned in Sialkot, 18 in Sheikhupura, 14 in Mianwali, 11 in Khushab, nine in Gujrat, eight in Muzaffargarh, seven in Faisalabad, six in Multan, five each in Okara, Bhakkar, Rawalpindi and Bahawalpur and three people drowned in district Narowal. Six people were killed when a boat overturned in district Khushab. Rescue 1122 teams saved four people and took out the bodies of the six people.

Most people drowned in Gujranwala district. According to District Emergency Officer Rafat Zia, long rivers pass through the district while the length of Upper Chenab Canal passing through Gujranwala is 16km and it is very difficult to prevent the people from bathing in the canal. He said there was a ban on bathing in canals and rivers and drowning incidents could be stopped with cooperation of the civil society.

Engineer Naveed Iqbal, the district emergency officer of Sialkot where 19 people drowned in two months, said a fence should be erected on the sides of the canals in the district. He suggested to the government to make safe picnic points near canals and rivers where people could take bath and enjoy. He said the rescue and other personnel should be deployed at the picnic points to ensure safety of the citizens.

Rana Ejaz Ahmed, the district emergency officer of Sheikhupura where 18 people drowned, said if citizens were prohibited from bathing at one point, they go five kilometers away for bathing in the canal.

Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2024