Uttarakhand water police get lessons in scuba diving

Wearing mask, fins, wetsuits, regulators and buoyancy compensator the Uttarakhand water police daredevils are getting basic tips on scuba diving from scuba expert Vijay Patwardhan who has come from Mumbai to share his vast experience in diving.

‘Uttarakhand police is the only police force in India which has its own divers. This is my second visit to this state as a scuba diving instructor. About 14 personnel from different districts are being trained currently. The cost of one scuba suit is about Rs 2 lakh and we import it from foreign countries. In case of damage to any of the equipment, we have to contact other countries as no Indian company manufactures or repairs it,’ Patwardhan said. 

Patwardhan, who has trained several people in scuba diving in Arabian Sea of Mumbai, feels that diving in Ganga water is more dangerous and risky. ‘Water here is icy cold, which repels divers who have the first-hand experience in cold water. Second, you can’t imagine the under-current flow of water. At which moment, the level of water will rise, can’t be said in the plains of Rishikesh,’ he said. 

Moreover, there are numerous whirlpools in river water, and once a diver is stuck in it, it is very difficult to come out safe. The sharp and slippery underwater stones make the diving uncomfortable, and sometimes it harms the wetsuit or dry-suit of divers. 

The visibility is very poor as Ganga is brings mud, silt and boulders along with it. The scuba divers say that they have to pay extra attention to concentrate on the underwater objects.