Responding to complaints of residents and local body representatives, the district administration has decided to address safety concerns at two prominent ecotourism spots in the foothills of Kakkayam from where recurring incidents of drownings are reported. Kariyathumpara and Thonikkadavu, which are known for water springs and naturally formed water pools, will soon have lifeguards to take care of visitors.
The district administration comes up with a series of action plans in the wake of 13 drowning cases around the ecotourism spot within the past two-and-a-half years. One of the main reasons for the increased number of deaths is the absence of any first-aid mechanism with the support of trained lifeguards at the spot, and emergency transportation facilities to nearby hospitals. In the last week also, there was a drowning incident in which a 17-year-old boy had lost his life.
A police aid post is likely to be opened in the area. The District Tourism Promotion Council and local administrators are now checking the possibility of securing clearance for the facility. In the absence of the police, visitors have been reportedly entering even the most dangerous stretches unmindful of the previous incidents of drowning and warning boards.
The Irrigation Department, which owns the property, had done many things in the past to prevent the entry of tourists into risky stretches, but in vain. There were many occasions when adventurous sightseers crossed the safety railings around the stretches and created scary moments. Local residents too had complained that the visitors were simply ignoring their warnings.
The two tourism spots, which are now remaining closed in the wake of safety concerns, will be reopened shortly after auditing the other safety issues as well by local administrators. To control the crowd, ticket counters will be opened. At Thonikkadavu, a boating facility is also on the cards. The long-pending waste management issues, which have been affecting the prospects of the ecotourism spot, will also be solved with the support of the Koorachundu grama panchayat.
