In the wake of thousands of trekkers visiting Kumara Parvatha in Pushpagiri forest on January 26, the government has imposed a temporary ban on trekking paths that do not have an online booking system.
To avoid overcrowding inside the forest areas, Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre has instructed the Chief Conservator of Forests and the Chief of the Forest Task Force to impose a temporary ban on trekking paths that do not have an online booking system from February 1.
Impact of crowding
He said that if thousands of trekkers visit densely forested hilly areas, especially the Western Ghats, the biodiversity would be affected, besides the water sources would also be polluted.
In a note sent to the head of the forest task force, he said that the trend of trekking in the forested mountain peaks has recently increased among the youth of the State, which has led to overcrowding on weekends.
He said it had come to the notice of the government that the trekkers are throwing plastic carry bags, bottles, plates, and leftover food items in the villages on the edge of the forest and in the ecologically sensitive areas, which is endangering the wildlife.
He said that controlling such large crowds and checking everyone would be a big challenge for Forest Department staff. He also mentioned instances where some trekkers were staying overnight in tents.
SoP needed
Mr. Khandre has suggested temporarily blocking the treks until a standard operating procedure is put in place in all the trekking spots, including Kumara Parvatha, Thukkanninagudda, where there is no online booking system.
At present, only 150 trekkers are allowed on the trekking paths managed by the Eco Tourism Department of the Forest Department and bookings have been made available at https://www.karnatakaecotourism.com. Trekking will be allowed in 23 spots where online booking is operational.
