A heaven on earth is what the scenic Kuntala waterfalls in Adilabad district is considered to be, but the growing incidence of drowning cases of late has impacted this beautiful location. Since 2,000, nearly 50 picnickers have drowned or fallen to death in this wonder of nature located deep inside the pristine forest in Neredigonda mandal.
For all wrong reasons, Kuntala has shot into the lime light at present. The death of four visitors on a single day, on August 22, has made the government sit up and take up an exercise which should have been done long ago.
The tragedy of Kuntala lies in the place remaining as a picnic spot instead of getting upgraded to a prime eco tourism centre in the country thanks to feebleness of efforts by successive State governments. Visitors come here, and there are about 3,000 of them on an average on weekends and holidays, to spend only a few hours in the lap of nature. Liquor is the major culprit in causing the death of such a large number of people most of who are in the age group of 16 and 30, their most productive years. “In all cases the victims were invariably inebriated when they had either accidentally slipped from the top of the waterfall or had drowned in the huge fissure in the rock bed of the pool at the foot of the first fall having entered the water for a swim,” points out Battu Ashok, a swimmer-rescuer at the waterfall. Given its width of about 100 metres and a drop of about 40 metres, the waterfall is one of the largest in entire South India and the only one of its kind within a radius of 500 km extending even into Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. The nearest eco tourism centre is Chikhaldhara hill station in Amaravati in Maharashtra, about 300 km from Adilabad, the northern most district in Telangana.
“What is needed to elevate Kuntala to a centre for eco tourism is good accommodation which can be provided at Kuntala village, about 3 km from the waterfall. The visitors also need to be facilitated to make their descent and climb back to the foot of the waterfall rather easy,” opines Ashish Kumar Gupta from Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh, who had come to visit the spot.
Steps to curb deaths at the waterfall
Visitors to the picturesque Kuntala waterfall in Neredigonda mandal of Adilabad district will be subjected to vehicle checks by the forest and police personnel at least at three places en route to spot in order to control liquor flow. A breathalyser will also be used to deny drunken picnickers an entry to the nature’s haven as a measure to avert deaths due to drowning.
Adilabad Divisional Forest Officer Sunil Hiremath told The Hindu on Wednesday that vehicles coming from Hyderabad and Nizamabad will be given the first check at the Forest check post on Soan bridge. The second check will be at the NH 44-Kuntala road junction near Neredigonda mandal head quarter and the third at the start of the reserve forest about 2 km away from the waterfall.
“We will maintain a register to record details of all visitors besides charging a nominal fee per head. Every visitor will be given a tag for easy monitoring of their visits and proper identification whenever required,” Mr. Hiremath said
The number of personnel manning safety and security will be increased by borrowing some from the Kawal Tiger Reserve as Kuntala falls in its buffer zone. The number of guides and swimmer-rescuers will also be increased.
Kuntala closed for a few days
Kuntala waterfall in Neredigonda mandal of Adilabad district has been closed for visitors for a few days as the Forest Department is taking steps to make the place safer. The decision to close it for visitors was taken following death of four persons on August 22.
Popular tourist getaway
1. Kuntala waterfall is located at Neredigonda mandal in Adilabad district.
2. It is located about 12 km from the NH 44 junction.
3. About 3,000 visitors flock to the place on weekends and holidays.
4. 48 deaths with an average of three every year occurred since 2,000.
5. The highest number of deaths on a single day was recorded on July 29, 2001 when a group of picnickers from Bellampalli town were washed away in a flash flood.
6. Putta Somanna, then aged 16 years, had saved the lives of a family of three from the same flash flood.
7. He was awarded the National Bravery award in 2002.
8. The place is slowly becoming popular in Telugu film industry.
9. Among the films shot at the location is the big budget Rani Rudrama last year.
Quote
A register to record details of all visitors will be maintained and every visitor will be given a tag for easy monitoring of their visits: Sunil Hiremath, Divisional Forest Officer, Adilabad
