KHUJAND, July 20 2011, Asia-Plus  -- Water police are being established in the northern Sughd province on the basis of the Sughd emergency management agency, the Sughd emergencies official told Asia-Plus today.

According to him, the new sub-division will be responsible for providing search and rescue service, fighting poachers, etc.

“Water police’s patrol areas will be rivers, lakes and water reservoirs of the province,” said the source, “The first step on the way to establish water police was providing the Sughd emergency management agency with two hydrocycles Yamaha that will be used for carrying out rescue operations and combating poachers.”  Two specially trained teams will use the hydrcycles, he added.

According to the Sughd emergency management agency, 28 people have drowned while swimming in rivers and lakes of Sughd this year.  Five drowning persons have been rescued this year.