15 yr old drowns in Shivalik Dam off Udaipur Gogunda highway

A fifteen year old boy, resident of Banswara, drowned in the water of Shivalik Dam on Sunday, 16 June. The boy was accompanied by his family members who had come to Shivalik for a picnic outing. The family resides in Anandpuri in Banswara.

As per reports, the boy waded into the deeper part of the reservoir near the dam at around 10am and slipped into the water. The Civil Defence team reached the spot after getting the distress call. It took them about two hours of rigorous effort to recover the body of the boy. The body was kept in the mortuary before being handed over to the family members.

The Shivalik Dam, which is situated in the tribal area of Bhadviguda village off Majam near Gogunda, has become a trending picnic and trekking destination over the last 2 years. However, this place has its own risks as it is a newly discovered area and visitors are not aware of the risks that are present in the waters or the hills around.  This is the second such incident on Shivalik Dam, after a 23 year old boy drowned last year - the day was Sunday, 13 August and the boy was there on a picnic with his family when he drowned. After the area has become a picnic spot, the local police have begun to keep guard at the entrance from the main highway, but within the trek and mountain areas, there is no guard as yet. While mild trekking, adventure sports and eco-tourism have become the new attractions in the Udaipur belt, it is very important that the stake holders take stock of the risks involved in these activities and look at preparing a support system to safeguard the tourists who come to these areas - security, life guards, local rescue teams, etc.