Rishikesh (Uttarakhand), Jan. 18 : Police in Uttarakhand have formed water police posts across several river banks and trained them in scuba diving to avoid loss especially during festivals.

About nine posts of water police have been set up across river banks in between Rishikesh - Hardiwar and eight water police personnel were given a week-long training session in scuba diving.

Millions of people throng Haridwar and Rishikesh for the holy dip in River Ganges, which is considered as the holy river in India.

Thus police officials believe that setting up of water police posts was very essential to prevent accidents and to give pace to the rescue work during mishaps.

"Its a very proud moment for us that in Uttarakhand police have set up nine centers of water police. And today we have trained them in scuba diving as well. About eight police personnel were given training of scuba diving. And we are planning to train 50 others in scuba diving and other life saving skills, so that we can take their help in upcoming festivals," said Subash Joshi, Director General of Police
(DGP), Uttarakhand.

Police personnel who underwent training in scuba diving said that training would definitely help them as they would be able to stay longer in water.

"It will be really beneficial to us. Because earlier we were not able to stay for long in water. So now we have lot of time and thus we would be able to search for a longer duration," said Deepak Khathi, a police personnel.

Scuba diving trainers said that training would also help in getting more tourists to the state as they would be aware that their lives are under surveillance of trained water police personnel.

"This training will be beneficial for many people and especially for the tourists. They are aware that Ganga water is very cold and flow is also very fast there would be lot of problems, so when they will know that police personnel are there to save their lives more and more people would like to come here," said V. N Patwardhan, scuba diving trainer.

Millions of devotees flocked for a holy dip to places such as Rishikesh and Haridwar for holy dip during several Hindu festivals.

Situated on the right bank of the Ganges, Haridwar is the point where the river spreads over the northern plain.(ANI)