Fears stemming from the reported presence of Maoists in the Jeerakappara forest range, which prompted the Forest Department to close entry to the second and third waterfalls at Thusharagiri, have seriously affected the tourist inflow to the site.
Sources in the District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) said there was a significant fall in the number of tourists, domestic and foreign, visiting the site ever since the department restricted entry to the second (Mazhavilchattam) and third (Thumbithullumpara). “At present, tourists are allowed only to the first waterfall — Eerattumukku — situated not far from the entry point,” P.G. Rajeev, DTPC secretary, said.
Entry would be restricted during the monsoon season to prevent accidents.
Thusharagiri Destination Manager K.D. Mathew told The Hindu that there were around 5,000 foreign visitors to the spot last year. This, he said, was besides thousands of domestic tourists who visited the site. The alleged Maoists presence was only a lame excuse of the forest officials who were looking for a reason to run away from their responsibility of providing security to visitors, he said.
The forest officials, however, maintained that they could not take any risk on tourists’ safety as there was reported presence of Maoists in the neighbouring areas.
“If something like a kidnap happens, though such a chance is remote, the blame will only be on us,” said P. Vijayan, a forest security staff.
He said the entry was closed following a directive from Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Amandeep Kaur. The fall in the number of tourists was also owing to the ongoing construction work on a bridge across Chalippuzha. Shortage of forest guards to provide security for visitors was another reason for restricting them from going to the interiors of the forests, he said.
