KATHMANDU: In the past 12 years, Fewa Lake in Pokhara has been the site of tragedy for 286 individuals who lost their lives. However, since the construction of the rescue tower at Barahi Ghat in December 2012, significant efforts have been made to improve safety. The tower, managed by the Kalika Battalion of the Armed Police Force Nepal, has facilitated the rescue of 1,187 people from the lake during emergencies.
This year alone, 127 individuals have been rescued, and sadly, 27 bodies have been recovered from Fewa Lake, according to Arun Sharma, Superintendent of the Battalion. The rescue operations are conducted by a dedicated 50-member team stationed at the tower, equipped for both rope rescue operations in gorges and diver operations for drowning incidents.
Fewa Lake spans 5.72 square kilometers and hosts 767 boats across its eight ghats. To enhance safety, the Boat Entrepreneurs Committee has introduced mandatory life jackets and operational guidelines. Despite these measures, accidents still occur due to negligence, storms, waves, and other unforeseen events, as noted by Committee Chairman Balaram Giri.
In contrast to Fewa Lake, Begnas and Rupa Lakes lack rescue infrastructure. Although efforts were made to allocate funds for a rescue tower in Begnas Lake, challenges such as land acquisition issues have delayed progress. Similarly, Rupa Lake has limited commercial boating activities, with ongoing initiatives focusing more on fish farming under the Rupa Lake Integrated Conservation Development Project.
Efforts by the Nepali Army, Armed Police Force, and Nepal Police include stationed divers and rescue teams at Fewa Lake's shores, ready to respond to emergencies collaboratively. Despite these efforts, local leaders like Ward Chairman Dhak Nath Kandel have expressed frustration over stakeholder cooperation and regulatory obstacles hindering safety measures in lakeside communities.
Accidents also occur sporadically in other lakes around Pokhara, such as Kamalpokhari, Dipang, Khaste, Maidi, Nyureni, Kasyap Pokhari, and Thulipokhari, highlighting ongoing challenges in lake safety and the need for coordinated efforts to mitigate risks and improve emergency response capabilities.
