After the incident involving a CFTRI scientist at the waterfalls in Chunchankatte, 60 km from Mysuru, a couple of months ago, the area around the picturesque waterfalls is out of bounds for visitors.
The scientist drowned in the river after he was caught in sudden gush of waters. The video of the accident had gone viral.
The walkway leading to the Dhanushkoti falls, which is surrounded by rocks, has been barricaded and two policemen guard the entrance for stopping the visitors. Private security personnel have also been deployed to keep visitors away from the gushing waters as a precautionary measure.
Until the accident, visitors were getting close to the waterfalls in the absence of safety precautions.
During the maiden Jalapathotsava (Festival of Waterfalls) at Chunchankatte next week, none will be allowed to get close to the falls. Safety measures will be further tightened, according to the authorities here.
Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy will be inaugurating the festival to be held at three places – Chunchankatte, Gaganachukki in Mandya distrcit and Bharachukki waterfalls in Chamarajnagar district – simultaneously at Chunchankatte on August 12.
The historic place is gearing up for the festival which is expected to draw a large number of visitors since the waterfalls would come alive in multi-coloured illumination, turning the location into a breathtaking sight.
The festival is expected to boost the tourist potential of the place which has a old temple dedicated to Lord Rama, who is believed to have stayed at the spot during his exile.
Minister for Tourism and Sericulture S.R. Mahesh, who represents K.R. Nagar constituency under which the place is located, has asked his department officials to ensure a memorable festival. Accordingly, Deputy Commissioner Abhiram G. Sankar is overseeing the arrangements of the two-day festival which also features cultural programmes.
H.P. Janardhana, Deputy Director, Tourism Department, told The Hindu that steps had been taken to construct viewing points at the spot for better visibility to visitors. It won’t be ready for the festival but a DPR is getting ready so as to build them at the earliest.
A security guard at the site said the number of visitors had doubled this monsoon. The numbers go further up during weekends. “People ask us to let them close to the waterfalls. But none has been allowed as a safety measure, warning them about the risks,” he said.
Signages have been put up at the spot warning people not to venture into the river. One signage says, “The water level may rise when power generation stops and people should not go near the waterfalls.”
