District Collector A. K. Kamal Kishore inspected on Tuesday a few ongoing development works in the district, including the facelift being given to the areas around the Old Courtallam waterfalls which would attract thousands of tourists during the season between June and August every year.

As the concrete floor in front of the Old Courtallam waterfalls, the changing room for women and the cloak room suffered extensive damage last year due to heavy floods, repairing of these facilities has been taken-up with the funds allotted by the Department of Tourism. Reviewing the developments being made around the Old Courtallam waterfalls, Mr. Kamal Kishore asked the officials and the contractors to complete the work before May-end so that the waterfalls would be ready to receive the visitors, who would be thronging the waterfalls from the first week of June.

He also discussed with District Forest Officer R. Rajmohan during this inspection about the restrictions to be imposed by the Department of Forest in Old Courtallam waterfalls to regulate the crowd, particularly during flooding.

The Department of Forest, following Court directions and the guidelines of Tamil Nadu Ecotourism Policy pertaining to guaranteeing nature-friendly measures to be put in place in the tourist spots, has constituted ‘Vannapoorani Ecotourism Committee’ for managing the Old Courtallam waterfalls, where using soaps, shampoo, oil, detergents, one-time plastic products etc. has been prohibited.

The visitors, after paying the entry fee of ₹20 per person and parking their vehicles in designated areas, would be taken to the Old Courtallam waterfalls in eco-friendly vehicles to be operated by the forest department or the ecotourism committee. Vehicles parked along the road or in banned areas would be towed away and fined heavily. Apart from these vehicles to be operated by the forest department and the ecotourism committee, authorised autorickshaws would be allowed up to specified points where the tourists should get down.

Open defecation, lighting fire in the forest, dumping of waste, liquor consumption inside the banned areas, harming the environment, using air horns in the jungle etc. would attract severe punishments including fine.

The tourists will be allowed to reach the waterfalls only between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. based on its ‘carrying capacity’ to avert overcrowding and consequent commotions. Tourists will be prevented from going to the waterfalls whenever the movement of wild animals, particularly the camping of wild elephants, is spotted in the jungle around Old Courtallam waterfalls area and during heavy flooding. The Department of Forest will take appropriate decisions based on the situation and the decisions will be implemented by the forest personnel and the empowered ecotourism committee members.

“The movement of the tourists will be monitored by CCTV cameras fitted at vantage points. Since this initiative is being taken to ensure wildlife protection while giving streamlined livelihood to the locals, the visitors should cooperate with the Department of Forest,” Dr. Rajmohan said.

In Kanniyakumari district, Collector R. Alagumeena inspected on Wednesday the construction of the flood carrier channels with concrete flooring at Eraniel in Kalkulam taluk and Karungal in Killiyoor taluk, being carried out at a cost of ₹6.50 crore, to avert flooding during the monsoon and heavy downpour. As only 45% of this work has been completed so far, the Collector asked the officials concerned to complete the work before the start of the southwest monsoon in June.

Ms. Alagumeena also inspected the construction of walls at Neyyar main channel to prevent the flooding of Mariyagiri.