<p>Bengaluru: Trekkers on trails coming under the jurisdiction of the forest department will soon come under a new set of rules that seek to enforce safety, with the department also promising the much-needed basic facilities.</p><p>Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre announced the rules under the new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) here on Friday. These include mandatory guidance of a Nature Guide per 10 trekkers, a maximum of 150 persons on a trail, online registration with contact details and safety briefing among other measures. "We will provide a guide even in cases where only one trekker has registered," he said.</p>.No maps or direction boards on trails, complain trekkers .<p>The SOP comes in the wake of two recent incidents in which trekkers got lost. While G S Sharanya was found by indigenous people four days after she lost her path when she was climbing down Tadiandamol peak in Kodagu district, a 15-year-old girl who went missing during a trek with her family to Chandradrona hill in Chikmagalur was found dead.</p><p><strong>Tech support and basic needs</strong></p><p>To ensure transparency in booking, all the trails under the jurisdiction of the Forest Department will be available for registration online at aranyavihaara.karnataka.gov.in.</p><p>Khandre said all nature guides will carry a GPS-enabled walkie-talkie while a tracking app will be mandatory for all trekkers while parents' consent will be a must for minor participants. </p>. <p>At the same time, the department will provide basic facilities for trekkers at the base camp. They will also be briefed about the duration of the trek, difficulty and other relevant matters, including effective ways to deal with any wild animals encountered on the way. "Separate toilets for men and women, drinking water, map of the trek route and a resting place on the way will be provided," the minister added.</p><p>The department will ban carrying of sharp metal objects, single use bags, weapons and instruments causing noise. Trekkers will not be allowed to light campfire.</p><p><strong>Onus on guides</strong></p><p>Nature guides will be responsible for the safety of the trekkers and mandatorily follow the procedures. These include carrying a first-aid kit, ensuring no trekker walks ahead of them, counting heads at base camp and resting points, keeping in touch with the base camp on the walkie talkie every 30 minutes. At the base camp, the staff will monitor the activities and reach out to the guide in case there is no communication for an hour.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: Trekkers on trails coming under the jurisdiction of the forest department will soon come under a new set of rules that seek to enforce safety, with the department also promising the much-needed basic facilities.</p><p>Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre announced the rules under the new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) here on Friday. These include mandatory guidance of a Nature Guide per 10 trekkers, a maximum of 150 persons on a trail, online registration with contact details and safety briefing among other measures. "We will provide a guide even in cases where only one trekker has registered," he said.</p>.No maps or direction boards on trails, complain trekkers .<p>The SOP comes in the wake of two recent incidents in which trekkers got lost. While G S Sharanya was found by indigenous people four days after she lost her path when she was climbing down Tadiandamol peak in Kodagu district, a 15-year-old girl who went missing during a trek with her family to Chandradrona hill in Chikmagalur was found dead.</p><p><strong>Tech support and basic needs</strong></p><p>To ensure transparency in booking, all the trails under the jurisdiction of the Forest Department will be available for registration online at aranyavihaara.karnataka.gov.in.</p><p>Khandre said all nature guides will carry a GPS-enabled walkie-talkie while a tracking app will be mandatory for all trekkers while parents' consent will be a must for minor participants. </p>. <p>At the same time, the department will provide basic facilities for trekkers at the base camp. They will also be briefed about the duration of the trek, difficulty and other relevant matters, including effective ways to deal with any wild animals encountered on the way. "Separate toilets for men and women, drinking water, map of the trek route and a resting place on the way will be provided," the minister added.</p><p>The department will ban carrying of sharp metal objects, single use bags, weapons and instruments causing noise. Trekkers will not be allowed to light campfire.</p><p><strong>Onus on guides</strong></p><p>Nature guides will be responsible for the safety of the trekkers and mandatorily follow the procedures. These include carrying a first-aid kit, ensuring no trekker walks ahead of them, counting heads at base camp and resting points, keeping in touch with the base camp on the walkie talkie every 30 minutes. At the base camp, the staff will monitor the activities and reach out to the guide in case there is no communication for an hour.</p>
