Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte was livid over a recent decision to bar entry for visitors to waterfalls. The Forest Department, earlier this month, had issued a circular banning entry to waterfalls during monsoon even though Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had stated that people can visit waterfalls but will be barred from swimming. Khaunte said "a Delhi-based officer in the Forest Department has issued a circular on ban without considering the adverse impact on tourism and allied businesses at the sites." He suggested that the department must designate waterfalls which are dangerous and ban those. Forest Minister Vishwajit Rane was quick to respond saying that the ban will be lifted for low-risk waterfalls and adequate forest guards and lifeguards will be deployed to ensure the safety of visitors.
Opening up waterfalls to visitors is a decision that needs considerable thought given the deaths that have been witnessed in recent times. Last July two persons drowned at the Mainapi waterfall in Netravali, Sanguem. It was at that time the locals appealed to the Forest department to ban visitors from the waterfall. The area which has several waterfalls has witnessed over a dozen deaths over the past few years. Subsequently, the Department issued an order prohibiting entry of people inside all wildlife sanctuaries and waterfalls “until further orders”.
The tourism minister’s reasoning that banning visitors from all waterfalls would impact tourism is a one-sided argument viewed through the tourism lens, but without assessing the implications or situation on the ground. Also, it has to be borne in mind that tourists flock not to the low-risk waterfalls but show interest in breathtaking views where falls are from a higher terrain, where they can also swim.
The point of concern is that people tend to overcrowd popular waterfalls leading to chaos and indiscipline. Past instances have shown that the men deployed at the site are unable to manage crowds and regulate the flow. In the name of tourism, the State cannot afford such risks because, in cases of drownings, the waterfall adventure can backfire and earn tourism a bad name. Fortunately, on beaches, Dristi lifeguards are carrying out rescues regularly since tourists ignore warning signs and alerts. Otherwise, our beach script could have been repelling.
If there is a genuine concern for tourism, there is a lot to be done elsewhere. For example, the stray dog menace has been threatening tourists on beaches at Colva, Benaulim, Betalbatim and now Cavelossim. On Tuesday, a delegation of Cavelossim panchayat handed over a memorandum to the district collector with a plea to intervene so that tourism is not affected along the beaches. There have been dog bite cases along other beaches in coastal Salcete. However, despite the repercussions these instances could have on tourism, the response from the tourism minister has been lukewarm.
The safety of tourists is the State’s responsibility, whether the tourist is strolling along the beach or visiting a waterfall. It is for the government of the day to put systems in place, in terms of protocols, security or lifeguards. Deploying manpower at all waterbodies is a humongous task which the government understands it cannot accomplish given the resources at hand. The decision to bar visitors from waterfalls during the peak monsoon months is the only way forward.
