Drowning unfortunate but tourists should be cautious: Goa Minister
Panaji, June 12: Goa Tourism authorities on Tuesday described the drowning of three tourists from Maharashtra on Monday as "unfortunate", but added that tourists should be cautious about swimming in the rough seas, especially during monsoon.
"The incident is unfortunate, can't do anything about it. But we cannot keep an eye on every one. Goa has a 105-km coastline. We already issued a warning against swimming in the rough seas," Goa Tourism Development Corporation Chairman and BJP MLA Nilesh Cabral told reporters here.
"Swimming in the sea at 5 a.m., especially in the monsoon, is not right. There were red warning flags on the beach, which means you cannot swim in the sea. Tourists should enjoy, but with precautions."
Three tourists from Maharashtra's Akola district drowned and two are missing after a group of 14 ventured into the sea early on Monday. Efforts to trace the missing tourists are on.
Private beach management agency Drishti Marine, which deploys lifeguards on popular Goa beaches, last week issued a warning against swimming in the sea on account of rough currents.
Cabral also said that the Tourism Department would consult with the private agency to work out a mechanism through which such tragedies could be averted, but added that unless tourists are responsible, such incidents cannot be avoided.
"We will check with Drishti, how we can avoid such incidents. If we block people (access to the beach), then it is an issue about rights of the people," he said.
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Russia always ready to supply crude oil to India: Envoy
New Delhi (PTI): Russia has always been open to supplying crude oil to India, Russian Ambassador Denis Alipov said on Thursday, amid increasing concerns over spiralling prices of petroleum products in view of the West Asia crisis.
Global oil and gas prices have surged after Iran has virtually blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow shipping lane between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, that handles roughly 20 per cent of global oil and LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas).
India imports 88 per cent of its crude oil needs and roughly half of its natural gas requirement. These mostly come via the Strait of Hormuz.
Any prolonged instability in West Asia is set to be detrimental to India's national interests as the region remains a major source of New Delhi's energy security.
"We have been open to supplying crude oil to India," Alipov told reporters while responding to a question on Russian crude oil supplies to India in view of the West Asia crisis.
The US launched military strikes on Iran on February 28, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Following the military offensive, Iran has carried out a wave of attacks mainly targeting Israel and American military bases in several Gulf countries including the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
In the last three days, the conflict has widened significantly with attacks and counter-attacks by both the sides.
India's procurement of crude oil from Russia has seen sharp fall in the last few weeks.
US President Donald Trump, while announcing a trade deal with New Delhi last month, claimed India has agree to not procure crude oil from Russia.
In an executive order, Trump had rolled back an additional 25 per cent tariffs on India that he imposed in August last for India's procurement of crude oil from Russia.
In the order, the US said it would monitor whether India resumed Russian oil purchases directly or indirectly and that would determine whether a 25 per cent tariff would again be re-impose.
India has been maintaining that it will procure oil from multiple sources and diversify them to ensure stability in the supply chain with national interests remaining the "guiding factor" for the procurement.
