The state tourism department has roped in five retired army personnel for better surveillance at prominent waterfalls near Ranchi to prevent drowning mishaps.

The retired army personnel from Ranchi, adept in security surveillance and rescue operations, supervise the existing 120 paryatak mitras at the waterfalls Dassam (40km from Ranchi on way to Jamshedpur), Jonha (35km from the capital on the Ranchi-Purulia highway in Angara block), Hundru (45km from the capital on Ranchi-Purulia highway in Sikidiri), Sita falls (40km from Ranchi in Khunti) and Panchghagh (50 km from Ranchi in Khunti).

Jharkhand Tourism Development Corporation (JTDC) deputy general manager Alok Prasad said that each of the five retired army personnel had been appointed by the tourism department to keeping watch on the visitors and supervise paryatak mitras at one or at the most two waterfalls every day.

“Huge crowds land up at these waterfalls during picnic season, and for that matter, every day. Most drowning incidents nowadays happen because youths want to take unique selfies from dangerous points. We hope that these ex-army men, helped by paryatak mitras, will totally curb this trend. These ex-armymen will also keep the headquarters informed every month about the happenings at each waterfall,” Prasad said.

Other important aspects to look into near waterfalls were to check whether tourists were not venturing too close to the waterfall to bathe or swim, whether they were wearing safety jackets and whether they were drinking liquor, engaged in a brawl or littering the place.

Prasad said they recruited ex-armymen as there had been reports that some paryatak mitras, who are mostly local village youths, were not discharging their duties properly. “That’s why this recruitment (of former armymen) was needed. JTDC will also put up first-aid boxes under their supervision for faster treatment in case of mishaps before the injured reaches the hospital,” he added.

An official of the JTDC said that they would put up contact numbers of retired army personnel at strategic places at the waterfalls so that people could contact them directly during emergencies.

“We hope people don’t misuse this by making prank calls and realise the ex-armymen are here for emergencies.”