Every year, hundreds of people visit the forests around Sakleshpur taluk for trekking. In spite of this, the Forest Department has not identified a trekking path, let alone providing guides or basic amenities to the trekkers.
The department has often booked cases against trekkers for trespassing on forest areas. Trekkers wonder how one takes permission when there is no such system. On several occasions, trekkers have gone missing and have consequently faced police action. In June 2006, three trekkers went missing in the deep forests and their bodies were traced in February 2007. In February 2012, a college student from Bengaluru drowned in a water body in the forests.
A trekker, who was part of a trekking expedition, missed his group only to be traced two days later in June 2014. Whenever such instances happen, the Forest Department officials say they will identify a trekking path and deploy guides to only those trekkers who take prior permission to enter the forests. During Hoysala Utsav, held in January this year, the district administration had proposed to designate a trekking path and publish the same in the souvenir, which is yet to materialise.
Vijay Sharma, an amateur trekker, said: “Western Ghats is like a haven for trekkers. In the past, I have been part of many trekking expeditions in the area. The Forest Department should encourage trekkers, who do a commendable job in spreading awareness, on the necessity of saving the environment. There is no system to inform the trekkers, forget encouraging us.”
The department has sought assistance of a research scholar from Mysore University, who is doing research on the eco-tourism. Ganesh Bhat, Deputy Conservator of Forests in Hassan, on Thursday, told The Hindu that Anand Kumar, a research scholar, had taken up research in eco-tourism.
