This story is from July 12, 2015

Weekend after weekend, revellers throw caution to wind at Lonavla's Bhushi dam

Revellers negligence and lack of adequate safety measures have turned the Bhushi dam in Lonavla into a death trap with four casualties already reported at the popular monsoon recreation spot located suitably between Pune and Mumbai.
Weekend after weekend, revellers throw caution to wind at Lonavla's Bhushi dam
PUNE: Revellers negligence and lack of adequate safety measures have turned the Bhushi dam in Lonavla into a death trap with four casualties already reported at the popular monsoon recreation spot located suitably between Pune and Mumbai.
At first glance, the location looks like just another fun destination teeming with weekend crowd. The problem lies ahead if one ventures inside the waters where the depth could be 100 metres and above.
This is the place where most people drown.
While a chunk of visitors limit their revelry to the steps which offers a view and gives a chance to splash the gushing water flowing down, the adventure-seekers go beyond and enter the deep water.
What makes the dip more treacherous, however, is that the placid surface of the out-of-bounds-reservoir gives no hint of the danger that lurks just a few feet ahead, alarmingly close to the edge which, at any given time of the day, is bustling with scores of young tourists. Diving and jumping or perfecting that daring group selfie is not advisable, but people indulge in adventures unmindful of the risk that lies ahead.
The lack of safety around the reservoir is glaring, with even basic features like fencing, railings or barricades missing. With no one from the dam authority present to check its misuse and hardly any one heeding to the few uniformed policemen on duty, there is no one to keep a check on who is going where.
One fading and peeling signboard, warning tourists against venturing into the reservoir, unfortunately, is easily missed by all those who dive straight into the water from high-edge of the reservoir.

Those operating small stalls nearby recount scores of instances when tourists drowned, some vanishing within minutes of last seen. Many of these locals, who double up as life-guards, say it's usually the young, rowdy and even drunk boys who sadly, meet an untimely end in the water.
Sahebrao Chauhan, who also runs a snack stall here, says the things frequently get out of hand. "I have helped recover more than two dozen bodies from the water in the last two decades. There are usually three or four policemen on duty, but tourists, some of whom are drunk, don't pay attention to their warnings. We too request tourists not to get inside the water, but they ignore our alerts. People drown even in 7-20 ft deep water,"said Chauhan. Warning boards and fence put up a few years ago were breached long time ago by tourists. "Those in the age group of 16-25 years stop at nothing. They just want to have fun,"he said.
Raju Pawar, another local who has helped save countless number of drowning tourists, said, "The water is deep even near the edge. Under the surface, the rocks are unsteady and sloping. We too are unable to stay underwater for more than a few minutes. For a tourist not used to the depth, even three to four minutes are enough for an accident to occur."
The dam, built on the Indrayani river in 1860, is a property of the Central Railway, managed by the irrigation department. With land adjoining the dam under the forest department, it is buck passing at its worst which is preventing any development from happening here.
Bhaskar Pacharne, another local resident, said, "When it rains heavily, water from the reservoir flows down the road. No one is doing anything to develop the area and make it safer and more attractive for tourists."
Inspector I S Patil of the Lonavla city police said that preventing people from stepping into the reservoir is beyond their control. "Tourists argue and fight with members of my team who are regularly posted at the dam site. Unfortunately, it is not possible to barricade the dam as it is too big and people enter from all sides," he said.
Collector Saurabh Rao said that corrective steps are taken every year before the start of monsoon. "We had put up warning boards a few months ago. If they have been removed, they will be put back again in the next few days. Since it is not a swimming area, there is no question of providing life guards and life jackets," he added.
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