Kolkata, September 13, 2026: The Moyna Block Administration has brought together Panchayats, government departments, frontline workers and community representatives to strengthen local efforts to prevent drowning and save lives.
A multi-sectoral consultation was organised at the BDO Office Conference Hall, with Child In Need Institute (CINI), supported by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), UK, providing technical inputs and sharing field-level experience on community-based drowning prevention.
“Preventing drowning and saving lives requires coordinated action at the local level. We welcome the support of CINI and RNLI in strengthening this lifesaving initiative in Moyna. The Block Administration will continue to work with Panchayats, government departments and communities to take this effort forward,” said Shri Jagannath Biswas, Block Development Officer, Moyna.
The seriousness of the issue was highlighted through two deeply contrasting experiences shared during the meeting. Two children who had nearly drowned just days earlier and were rescued in time attended the consultation with their mother. While the children played inside the conference hall, their mother recalled how timely intervention had brought them safely back to her. Later, a grandmother who had recently lost her grandchild to drowning broke down while sharing her experience. The two accounts of survival and loss brought a powerful human dimension to the consultation and underlined the importance of prevention, timely rescue and lifesaving skills.
The consultation saw participation from representatives of the Block Administration, Zilla Parishad, Panchayat Samiti and Gram Panchayats, as well as officials and frontline workers from health services, police, Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), school education and other departments. ASHA workers, Civil Defence Volunteers, Child Parliament members and community representatives also took part.
Among those present were Shri Jagannath Biswas, BDO, Moyna; Shri Goutam Guru, Sabhapati, Panchayat Samiti; Shri Abhijit Adhok, Zilla Parishad Member; and Dr Partha Sarathi Giri, Member of the Drowning Prevention Mentoring Team, West Bengal. CINI’s drowning prevention team also participated in the consultation.
Shri Prasanta Chakraborty, Additional District Magistrate (Development), Purba Medinipur, conveyed his best wishes for the initiative. Though he could not attend the meeting due to pressing official responsibilities, he expressed his interest in seeing such drowning prevention efforts strengthened across the district.
The consultation also included practical demonstrations on lifesaving techniques. Experts explained the physiology of drowning, the critical importance of the first few minutes following rescue and the need for immediate resuscitation. ASHA workers demonstrated resuscitation and first-aid techniques, while Civil Defence Volunteers demonstrated safe rescue methods.
Evidence on drowning in West Bengal and experiences from community-based prevention programmes were also discussed. Participants focused on identifying high-risk water bodies and locations, strengthening child safety measures, improving rescue and resuscitation skills and expanding community awareness.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to strengthen drowning prevention through existing administrative, Panchayat and community systems in Moyna. As the consultation ended, the two children rescued from drowning only days earlier were still playing inside the hall — a poignant reminder of how timely intervention, rescue skills and community preparedness can save lives.
