Even as yet another three-month-long season in Courtallam has commenced, tourists expect a few measures from the district administration to make their visit or brief stay there a pleasant experience.
A trip to Courtallam is not as costly as a tour to any other hill station in the State. So, tourists prefer this spot as south west monsoon that sets in Kerala ensures copious flow of water in all waterfalls. But a few features spoil their mood.
Collection of excess parking fee, highhanded conduct of men handling parking of vehicles, poor sanitation, over-priced yet inferior quality food, poorly maintained parks have collectively created a negative image about Courtallam over the years.
The most disgusting factor is excess parking fee being collected by contractors at Main Falls, Old Falls, Tiger Falls and Five Falls parking areas.
While the parking fee fixed by the Courtallam Town Panchayat is Rs. 20 for a car, the personnel allegedly collected Rs. 40 till last year to trigger frequent altercations between visitors and contractors’ men.
Even after several complaints were registered with the police, the situation refuses to improve as only a few were punished while many men continue to escape with the help of local police and the town panchayat officials.
“The district administration should eradicate this menace this year through stern warning to the contractors concerned,” says Raja Shankar, a retired Central Government employee from Tenkasi, who wages a lone battle for the past couple of years against this hardship but in vain.
“Now, I’ve approached the district consumer redressal forum to end this problem since I’m also a victim.”
Since private contractors take control of houses and cottages in and around this spot and fix exorbitant rate for a day’s stay, the Town Panchayat, by ensuring good ambience around cottages under its control, can give pleasant experience at an affordable tariff to tourists from middle class families.
Pay-and-use toilets near Main Falls, Five Falls and other places are in the worst condition.
Visitors, especially women, cannot use them though the user have to pay over and above the fee fixed by the town panchayat.
The automatic toilet installed near Main Falls by Tenkasi MLA R. Sarathkumar from his personal fund was deliberately spoilt in order to ensure revenue through pay-and-use toilets.
Since tourists going to the Eco Park near Five Falls have to pay the toll at two places, the contractor collecting parking fee for the falls may be asked to collect the charges right at the parking bay.
When ASP, Tenkasi, Aravind, moved this suggestion during the recently held meeting at Courtallam, Collector M. Karunakaran accepted it.
However, it should be translated into action.
Above all, use of soaps, detergents, shampoo and ‘shikakai’ powder in waterfalls should be banned completely at least from this year onwards.
The parks being maintained by the Town Panchayat should be given a facelift and the swimming pool, constructed by then Collector Sunil Paliwal near the town panchayat office, where competitions were conducted during ‘Saaral Thiruvizhaa’ every year, should be cleaned completely and chlorinated.
