Nearly 10,000 tourists are gathering along the Kali for watersports during weekends. (Photo | EPS)
Nearly 10,000 tourists are gathering along the Kali for watersports during weekends. (Photo | EPS)

Safety norms violated in Karnataka watersports, tourists go on crowded rafts sans life jackets

Tour operators in Ganeshgudi in Dandeli are requesting the district administration, forest and police to intervene to avoid any possible mishap in the Kali river during river rafting activities.

HUBBALLI: Tour operators in Ganeshgudi in Dandeli are requesting the district administration, forest and police to intervene to avoid any possible mishap in the Kali river during river rafting activities.

Nearly 10,000 tourists are gathering along the Kali for watersports during weekends and many operators are sending the visitors into rafts without safety gear such as life jackets. Last Sunday, a picture of a crowded raft, with many on board not wearing life jackets, went viral stressing the dire need for monitoring by government agencies.

"While a large part of the Kali river watersports area falls under the Karnataka forest department, there are some parts under the control of local panchayats. Many operators are taking up rafting activities without any expert instructors and with no back-up plan in case of any accident. Four years ago, there was a death in Coorg during rafting. Since then, rafting activities have been completely stopped there," said a tour operator who has taken a government tender for watersports in Kali.

Another operator said many new operators are taking permission for rafting under the guise of watersports from the local administration. "But river rafting is a high risk watersport and requires expertise and trained manpower. Their ignorance in sending people on rafts without life jackets must be taken seriously," he said.

The operators also point out that those running watersports with official tenders pay money to the government and forest department. "But in the case of new operators, no money is given to the government. The water is released from the dam which is free and yet the government gets nothing out of such operators. We are demanding that the government legalize all watersports operations in the Kali river and lay down rules to ensure that recreational outings don't turn into tragedies," said the owner of a tourism facility from Ganeshgudi.

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