Online booking to check ruckus at Kumara Parvatha

The ruckus caused by trekkers at Kumara Parvatha and the subsequent calls for protecting the ecologically sensitive area has prompted the forest department to put an end to the unregulated rush of the public.

Located in the Pushpagiri wildlife sanctuary, the Kumara Parvatha trekking point begins about a km away from the famous Kukke Subramanya temple in Dakshina Kannada district and is about 280 km from Bengaluru.

Over the last few years, the 12-km trekking route (one way) has become a favourite getaway for many enthusiasts with weekends seeing crowds descending from neighbouring states.

Crowd of 1,000 

Ahead of the long weekend on January 26, about a thousand persons had thronged to the route, raising concerns among the environmentalists.

“The trekkers had assembled to deposit the plastic bottles and other restricted items with the forest department. However, the numbers were overwhelming for the department staff who have to ensure that no material carried from outside is disposed of in the forest area,” a senior official from the Madikeri division told DH.

Minister’s directions

After a video of hundreds of people at the trek starting point went viral, Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre directed the officials to look into the matter and put an end to unregulated tourism. “Directions have been given to the officers to ensure that such crowding doesn’t take place in trekking points,” the minister said.

Additional principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) Kumar Pushkar, who visited the spot following the incident, said he would raise the matter with the higher-ups on streamlining trekking activities in the area.

300 ceiling

“There is a need to limit the number of trekkers to a maximum of 300. The final number will be decided after discussions. I will propose the introduction of the online booking system and allow entry to only those people who book slots. This will reduce pressure on the sensitive area,” he said.

The online booking system has already been implemented by the Karnataka Eco Tourism Development Board, which provides booking for trekking on 23 routes in the state. However, forest divisions in several districts continue to issue pass offline for trekkers on several other routes.

To a question, Puskhar, who is also the chief executive officer of the Board, said he had advised the Madikeri division officials to send a proposal for starting online booking system for Kumara Parvatha.

Other routes

“We will look into the need for such a system on other trekking routes and take a decision accordingly,” he added.

A senior official in Mangaluru division said despite restrictions, it was difficult to monitor all trekkers.

“Waste management, be it plastic or food, is a big challenge in forest areas. While seasoned trekkers do not litter, those who come for weekend getaways often violate rules,” he added.