PALAKKAD: Scorching temperatures and school holidays have seen many retreating to the hills. Nelliyampathy in Palakkad is one of the preferred destinations. However, the hill station woefully lacks infrastructure facilities.
The risk of accidents looms large here as only small barricades have been put up at viewpoints to prevent tourists from falling off the cliff. An Ernakulam native was killed in September 2021 here after he slipped on the rocks and was washed away in the waters.
Handrails have been installed near the waterfalls, but these have to be strengthened, said N Shashindra Babu, an environmentalist. One of the other main issues facing visitors on reaching Nelliyampathy after a long journey was the lack of toilets.
The panchayat has constructed seven toilets here, but none of them has water, said a government employee posted here. The comfort station set up near Nooradi bridge, too, has remained closed for the past many years, he added. Most of the visitors depended on the toilets of the primary health centre in Kaikatty.
Another concern of the tourists here is safety. Even though they arrive in their vehicles, they have to depend on the 50-odd jeeps in the three centres of Nooradi, Thenipadi and Pulayampara to get to the region’s hinterlands. However, the crew of these vehicles do not have uniforms or badges. Some of them don’t even have driving licences. The motor vehicles department needs to ramp up its efforts, said the employee.
The panchayat should also step up and provide facilities to dispose of the garbage properly. It is alleged that the Haritha Karma Sena, which collects garbage on some days, dumps it behind the panchayat.
There are 30-odd resorts set up on leased plantations in the region. The non-biodegradable waste generated here needs to be processed or disposed of properly as well. It is unclear how they are disposing of the waste, Shasindra Babu said.
Resort owners, however, deny allegations that the garbage is not disposed of scientifically.
If tourism is to develop further, more areas should be opened up. At present, the forest department has provided tourists access to only Seethargundu, Kesavanpara, Karappara hanging bridge, and Karassuri, where there is a temple. This results in traffic jams on most days. Sites like Maanpara, the Vazhakundu waterfalls, the Govindamala viewpoint, and Kurissupalli hilltop, where were trekking areas, have all been closed, said P J Martin, the manager of Greenland Resorts.
Destination overview
Residents
Around 7,000
Most of the land belongs to the forest department
Nelliampathy panchayat: 13 wards
Area: 576.54 square kilometres
It is home to several tea, coffee and cardamom plantations
Some plantations have been taken on lease to build resorts
There are 30-odd resorts here
Arrival of tourists per day:
2,300 vehicles
Recent accidents
December 2020: A Thrissur native was killed after falling from Seethargundu viewpoint
January 2021: Two Tirupur natives drowned after entering the Karappara River to bathe
September 2021: An Ernakulam native was killed after slipping from the rocks while going near the waterfalls.