The adventure-filled and bumpy 14-km jeep ride to Dudhsagar waterfalls, which gives tourists a thrilling and fun-filled experience, commenced on Friday, even as those running the trips said they're expecting around 2.25 lakh people this season.
PONDA
Sanvordem MLA Deepak Pawaskar, Rajya Sabha MP Vinay Tendulkar, Collem Sarpanch Gangaram Lambor, Deputy Sarpanch Khushi Velip, Dudhsagar Tour Operators' Association President Tribolo Souza, Vice-president Dilip Mairekar and Naresh Shigaonkar were present at a formal function to mark the beginning of the trips.
Interestingly, no forest officer was present at function at Collem.
Last year, though the season started 23 days late compared to 2015, over 2 lakh tourists enjoyed the trips. A seven-seater jeep charges Rs 2,800 for the trip. Even the Collem Panchayat, which provides life jackets at the rate of Rs 30 per person, earns revenue during the season.
As the number of tourists visiting Dudhsagar is increasing every year, the forest department has put in place strict rules and asked jeep drivers to control their speed. The tourists are also told not to carry water and liquor bottles during the journey, as potable water facility is being provided by the forest department at some points of the 14-km journey.
Referring to the demands of the association to construct a bailey bridge to cross the river in the wildlife area, Pawaskar and Tendulkar hit out at forest officials for creating problems.
"The forest officers even create problems to construct concrete roads in the area. I will try my best to give better facilities to the tourists visiting this place," Pawaskar said.
"I don't mind the tourists taking water bottles and wafer packets with them. They come to enjoy Goa and how can we stop them from taking food items and water? Let them take it and bring back the empty bottles/empty packets of food items to the entry point. It can be disposed," Pawaskar said.
Tendulkar said the jeep owners do business in a systematic manner and no complaints have been received so far. "I can understand the importance of bailey bridge in a wildlife area. But forest department wants money to be deposited first and once you do it then many problems occur," Tendulkar said and added that "something can be done to facilitate the tourists."
Tendulkar said CCTVs will be installed in Shigao and Collem areas under the MP Fund. "The panchayat has given me a resolution in this regard," he said.
Sarpanch Lambor assured all the help to run the business systematically.
Speaking to The Goan, Tribolo Souza said he is expecting 2.25 lakh tourists this season. "We had asked to start the ‘season' on October 2, but the forest department delayed the process,'' he said.
He said the association has given a proposal to GSIDC to construct a bailey bridge at a place called ‘Bhendi Fator' so that water doesn't get polluted. The villagers residing on the banks of the river, which flows from Dudhsagar, consume the water.
