GANESHGUDI(UTTARA KANNADA): Illegal river rafting has quietly begun in Ganeshgudi, right under the nose of the local authorities. Many tour operators have started mid-rafting and are doing it in violation of norms. Sources said that most of them do not have permission to do rafting.
Several videos of illegal rafting have been doing the rounds among the locals on social media and this has created fear among tour operators and resort owners that the water sport will come to a halt like it happened earlier.
The local homestays and resorts have written letters to the authorities to prevent these illegal water sport activities, but there has been no response from the district administration so far.
Only the state-owned Jungle Lodges and Resorts is authorised to conduct rafting in Kali waters. This apart, no other organisation has been given permission to offer water sports. “We have written to the district administration, Principal Secretary, Forest Ecology and Environment, Principal Secretary, Department of Tourism, and others, but so far there is no response from anywhere.
We do not want any other ugly episode, which we faced like in 2022, when rafting and all water activities were banned due to violation of norms,” said a resort owner on condition of anonymity. Interestingly, a few private players are doing mid-rafting, that is for a distance of about 6 km as defined by the Department of Tourism, Uttara Kannada, which is not an authorised body to do so.
To support this, the River Rafting and Water Sports Management and Supervision Committee, Uttara Kannada, has clearly stated that conditional permission has been granted to selected water sports, including canoeing, boating, jobbing, swimming, zip-lining and rafting on March 2.
However, the firms will have to construct jetties required for their activities within 10 days. As per the letter, the permission for rafting was awarded in March 2023 for a period of one year and the same has continued since then.
When contacted, Deputy Director, in-charge, Department of Tourism, said he had withdrawn the permission for mid-rafting after there were some complaints about it. SP of Uttara Kannada said he will look into the matter.