Centre asks states to identify 'no selfie zones' in tourist areas

Soon 'selfies' may be banned in some tourist locations across the country to curb rising incidents of 'selfie-deaths'

The Centre has asked the state governments to identify tourist spots where accidents occur frequently when people take selfies, following reports of several such incidents.

In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Union Minister of State for Home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir on Tuesday said safety provisions for tourists, including precautionary measures to prevent any untoward incident such as declaring "No-Selfie Zones" at popular tourist sites were the primary responsibility of the state governments and Union territory administrations.

"Accidents occurring in the process of taking selfies are reported from time to time. However, the Ministry of Tourism has advised all state governments and Union Territory administrations to take the following measures to safeguard tourists who intend to take selfies at tourists sites or destinations," the minister said.

The advisory issued by the tourism ministry includes identification of all such tourist spots that are prone to accidents, erection of signboards, warning the visitors of the danger involved in taking selfies at such locations, posting volunteers or tourist police personnel at such places, sensitisation through public address systems, spreading awareness through social and other media campaigns and barricading areas.