Hassan: With strict measures in place and forest officials restricting timings for trekking at Bisle Ghat of Sakleshpur in Hassan, the number of trekkers coming to this biodiversity spot in the Western Ghats has come down drastically.
Unlike in the past, trekkers now have to get permission from the Deputy Conservator of Forests, Hassan division to trek in the Ghat.
Besides, timings for trekking have also been restricted from dawn to dusk, and trekkers are not allowed to stay inside the forest overnight which has led to the fall in numbers, forest officials explained.
“The numbers have definitely dropped because of the strict measures imposed by us,” said Range Forest Officer Sudarshan. “Over the last three months, three trekking teams have come to the spot for trekking,” he said.
The forest department was forced to impose restrictions after a techie, Srikanth Balaji (24) from Chennai, went missing while trekking but somehow made it back to safety.
The forest officials later filed cases against 16 trekkers, who had accompanied Balaji, for entering the forests without permission. Mr Sudarshan said that similar cases would be filed against those entering the forest without permission.
But Deputy Conservator of Forests, Hassan division, Ganesh Bhat, keeps getting requests, especially from techies in Bengaluru, for staying overnight at the Ghats.
“We get a number of calls from Bengaluru for two-day stay at Bisle Ghat, but we cannot give permission considering the safety of trekkers,” he said.
Ghats are dangerous for even experienced trekkers. In the past, people of have lost their lives because of attacks from wild animals, while some have lost their way in the forest, he said.
