Rising KashmirRising KashmirRising Kashmir
  • Home
  • Top Stories
  • News
    • Kashmir
    • City
    • Jammu
    • Politics
  • Health
  • Anchor
  • Features
  • Interview
  • Video
Search

Archives

  • May 2025
  • April 2025
  • March 2025
  • February 2025
  • January 2025
  • December 2024
  • November 2024
  • October 2024
  • September 2024
  • August 2024
  • July 2024
  • June 2024
  • May 2024
  • April 2024
  • March 2024
  • February 2024
  • January 2024
  • December 2023
  • November 2023
  • October 2023
  • September 2023
  • August 2023
  • July 2023
  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022

Categories

  • Anchor
  • Breaking
  • Business
  • City
  • Developing Story
  • Editorial
  • Education
  • Features
  • Health
  • Interview
  • Jammu
  • Jammu and Kashmir News
  • Kashmir
  • Kashmir Tourism
  • Kath Bath
  • National
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Technology
  • Top Stories
  • Trending
  • Uncategorized
  • Video
  • Viewpoint
  • World
© 2022 Foxiz News Network. Ruby Design Company. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Demand for timely weather alerts, enhanced safety measures in Dal Lake intensifies after fisherman’s death
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Rising KashmirRising Kashmir
Font ResizerAa
  • Home
  • Top Stories
  • News
  • Health
  • Anchor
  • Features
  • Interview
  • Video
Search
  • Home
  • Top Stories
  • News
    • Kashmir
    • City
    • Jammu
    • Politics
  • Health
  • Anchor
  • Features
  • Interview
  • Video
Follow US
© 2024. All Rights Reserved.
Rising Kashmir > Blog > City > Demand for timely weather alerts, enhanced safety measures in Dal Lake intensifies after fisherman’s death
City

Demand for timely weather alerts, enhanced safety measures in Dal Lake intensifies after fisherman’s death

M Haziq Pandit
Last updated: May 4, 2025 1:50 am
M Haziq Pandit
Published: May 4, 2025
Share
5 Min Read
SHARE

Srinagar, May 03: The recent tragic incident on Dal Lake, which claimed the life of a 24-year-old fisherman, has raised fresh concerns over the lack of timely weather advisories and safety measures for those navigating the iconic water body.
The victim, Taufeeq Ahmad Chopan, from Rainawari, was fishing with his employer, Abdul Majeed Khosa, when their boat capsized near Duck Park on Friday afternoon. The two fishermen were caught off guard by sudden, gusty winds that overturned their boat. While Khosa was rescued shortly after the mishap, Chopan went missing and was later found dead on Saturday morning after rescue operations had to be suspended overnight due to poor visibility.
This tragedy, just the latest in a series of similar incidents in recent weeks, has once again highlighted the critical gaps in safety protocols on Dal Lake. Despite existing regulations, boatmen and passengers continue to face significant risks due to a lack of timely weather alerts and essential safety equipment.
Earlier this year, in April, a tourist family’s boat capsized under similar conditions, prompting the Directorate of Tourism to issue new safety guidelines. These included mandatory life jackets for all boats and a ban on operating during adverse weather. However, despite these regulations, the implementation of these measures remains weak, with many shikarawalas continuing to operate without the necessary precautions.
Many locals believe that the problem lies not in the absence of regulations but in their poor enforcement. “After every tragic incident, authorities issue new directives, but they are hardly ever followed on the ground,” said Firdous Ahmad, a resident of Rajbagh. “Life jackets were declared mandatory, but even today, most boatmen operate without them. There’s no monitoring, no inspections.”
Adil Reshi, a resident of Batamaloo, pointed out that although weather advisories are occasionally issued through media channels, there is no direct way to communicate these warnings to those working on the lake. “There should be a system that alerts boatmen in real-time — loudspeakers or other methods. Without that, these advisories are meaningless,” he said.
Shikarawalas, too, echoed similar concerns. “We never get weather alerts,” said Nazeer Ahmad, a shikara operator with over two decades of experience. “When the wind picks up, we’re already out on the lake with tourists. By the time we sense danger, it’s too late.”
Wali Mohammad Bhat, president of the Shikarawala Association, expressed frustration over the situation, emphasizing that while weather advisories used to be more consistent in the past, they have become increasingly sporadic. “In the past, we’d receive warnings regularly. Now, we’re left to rely on our instincts,” he said.
Bhat also raised concerns over the lack of proper safety gear for boat operators. “Most of us can’t afford life jackets for ourselves or for our passengers. It’s a financial burden, and sadly, we’re left to take risks without proper protection,” he said. “The government should step in and provide these essential tools to ensure that all boats, especially those operating in unpredictable weather, are adequately equipped.”
Responding to these concerns, Masroor Ahmad Mir, Commandant of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) 1st Bn, rejected accusations regarding the lack of weather advisories. He asserted that his team regularly provides updates to shikarawalas. “We provide weather advisories to shikarawalas around the clock. Sometimes, we even have to force some boatmen to leave the area,” he said.
Regarding life jackets and other safety gear, Mir explained, “SDRF doesn’t have its own funding. We receive financial support from the Deputy Commissioner’s office, and we allocate that funding accordingly.”
Addressing the challenges of responding to incidents on Dal Lake, he added, “Dal Lake is vast. Currently, our teams are stationed at Nigeen Lake, which results in a response time of about 10 minutes. However, we are in the process of expanding our base to three additional locations, which will help us cover Dal Lake more efficiently and significantly reduce our response time.”
Attempts to contact Dr. Bilal Mohi-ud-Din Bhat, Deputy Commissioner, for comment went unanswered.
Meanwhile, as Dal Lake continues to attract both locals and tourists, the need for consistent enforcement of safety protocols, timely weather alerts, and accessible safety gear has never been more pressing. Without concrete action, the cycle of avoidable tragedies is likely to continue.

SKUAST-K celebrates World Soil Day – 2022 at Faculties and KVKs
Nasha Mukt J&K: DIPR organises nukkad natak
World Water Day: KU holds symposium on glacier preservation & sustainable water management
2-day multilingual poetic symposium & literary meet begins at NIT Srinagar
Night temp rises in Kashmir, drops in Jammu

Sign Up For Daily Newsletter

Be keep up! Get the latest breaking news delivered straight to your inbox.
By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Share This Article
Facebook Whatsapp Whatsapp Copy Link Print
Previous Article Chairman CNMS offers Ziyarat at Dargah of Piran Kaliyar Sharif
Next Article Chairman of Indian Chamber of Commerce calls on LG
Leave a Comment Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Stay Connected

1MFollowersLike
262kFollowersFollow
InstagramFollow
234kSubscribersSubscribe
Google NewsFollow

Latest News

Bangladesh: Muhammad Yunus not resigning or leaving country amid resignation buzz 
Breaking World
May 24, 2025
LG Sinha lays foundation stone for Guest house at Dargah Hazratbal  
Breaking
May 24, 2025
Major Ration Scam Busted in Mandi: MLA Ajaz Jan Orders Immediate Sealing of Dhara Food Store
Breaking
May 24, 2025
CS chairs SLSC meet; approves Rs 75.80 cr AAP for Watershed Development under PMKSY
Breaking
May 24, 2025

Recent Posts

  • Bangladesh: Muhammad Yunus not resigning or leaving country amid resignation buzz 
  • LG Sinha lays foundation stone for Guest house at Dargah Hazratbal  
  • Major Ration Scam Busted in Mandi: MLA Ajaz Jan Orders Immediate Sealing of Dhara Food Store
  • CS chairs SLSC meet; approves Rs 75.80 cr AAP for Watershed Development under PMKSY
  • Class 11th results to be declared tonight after 10 PM

Recent Comments

  1. SavePlus on AI and Behavioural Analytics in Gaming: Making the World of Gaming Better
  2. Parul on Govt acknowledges faulty streetlights on Narbal-Tangmarg road
  3. dr gora on Women Veterinarians and the Goal of Viksit Bharat
  4. jalwa game login on National Education Policy 2020: Transforming India’s Educational System
  5. Virender Bhat on Pahalgam Attack: A War on Humanity, Peace, and Kashmiriyat

Contact Us

Flat No 7,Press Enclave, Srinagar, 190001
0194 2477887
9971795706
[email protected]
[email protected]

Quick Link

  • E-Paper
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

Top Categories

Stay Connected

1.06MLike
262.5kFollow
InstagramFollow
234.3kSubscribe
WhatsAppFollow
Rising KashmirRising Kashmir
Follow US
© 2025. All Rights Reserved.
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?