PANAJI
Ahead of the long weekend and reduction in rainfall activities, the State forest department has lifted the ban on entry, including trekking and hiking to the low-risk waterfalls located within the wildlife areas, subject to alerts by Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). Following heavy downpour, the forest department, last month, had suspended all the approaches including hiking and trekking activities to the 24-low risk waterfalls located in the forest and wildlife areas.
Chief Wildlife Warden Umakant, in an order issued on Tuesday, said that in view of reasonable reduction in precipitation during the past few days, a fresh risk assessment for opening of low risk waterfalls was done on August 12 and 13.
“The State government hereby decided to open the approaches including trekking and hiking to the waterfalls located within the forest and wildlife areas, subject to observations of IMD alerts, as and when issued by the IMD and until further orders,” the order stated.
However, the approach to Bandhavoilo Vazar waterfall located in the Mhadei wildlife sanctuary will continue to be suspended till further orders due to disruption in access to the waterfall.
These waterfalls are located in Mhadei WLS, Bhagwan Mahaveer WLS and National Park, Netravali WLS and Cotigao WLS.
