PUNE
Following the accident in Irsalwadi village, Raigad, the district administration on Friday urged tourists not to visit waterfalls, dams, hills and forests this monsoon. While trekking through hills and forests and visiting waterfalls and dams are favoured activities during the rainy season, they can be dangerous if unaccompanied by necessary precautions.
Ayush Prasad, chief executive officer (CEO) of the Pune Zilla Parishad (ZP), said that given the many monsoon attractions along with a huge population and poor connectivity, the administration has its own limitations. “Tourists should avoid frolicking in waterfalls or climbing hills and waterfalls. During the monsoon, it is dangerous as the water levels can rise anytime. Rain-drenched hills are slippery and one can slip and meet with a fatal accident. Also, rocks and boulders can roll down anytime which is difficult to anticipate.”
Pune district is blessed with places of great natural beauty such as Malshej Ghat, Nane Ghat, Lonavala, Khandala, Kamshet, Bhimashankar, Andharban, Panshet and Tamhini Ghat. Hills, forests and waterfalls across Maval, Mulshi, Junnar, Ambegaon, Khed, Velha and Bhor attract lakhs of visitors, especially during the monsoon. The district has more than 1,000 famous locations that draw tourists from Pune, Mumbai and other parts of the state and country, especially during weekends. Every weekend in the monsoon sees on an average around 4 lakh tourists visiting these locales in Pune district. It is difficult for the administration to take responsibility for the safety of so many visitors, especially when caution is thrown to the wind. Over the past two years, locals at tourist spots have been trained to help tourists in case of exigencies and otherwise.
Prasad said that the police patrol tourist locations 24x7. Trekking through hills and forests at night is the current trend however there are potential hazards like snake bites and natural disasters. “Sometimes while climbing waterfalls or hills, people forget it is difficult to descend due to gravity and slippery slopes. We have had accidents in the past in the Ghat areas where rescue operations have been extremely difficult at over 100 to 200 feet. Nothing can be done to prevent tourists from venturing into eco-sensitive zones, forests and bays…”
{{/usCountry}}Prasad said that the police patrol tourist locations 24x7. Trekking through hills and forests at night is the current trend however there are potential hazards like snake bites and natural disasters. “Sometimes while climbing waterfalls or hills, people forget it is difficult to descend due to gravity and slippery slopes. We have had accidents in the past in the Ghat areas where rescue operations have been extremely difficult at over 100 to 200 feet. Nothing can be done to prevent tourists from venturing into eco-sensitive zones, forests and bays…”
{{/usCountry}}Ban on vehicles, tourists
As a precautionary measure, the Pune district administration has imposed a ban on heavy vehicles (and light vehicles during heavy rain) on Varandha Ghat Road from July 22 to September 30. A 60-day ban has also been imposed on rope access to the Madhe Ghat waterfall to avert the possibility of accidents in Velha tehsil. The administration has ordered several tourist hotspots such as Malshej Ghat, Kasara Ghat, Malshej waterfall, Harishchandragad and Nane Ghat to remain closed till August 30 due to torrential rain and the possibility of landslides.