Adventure-seeking youth and tourists often explore these remote falls, but local officials have yet to implement necessary safety protocols.
Adilabad:Safety measures are inadequate at the lesser-known waterfalls hidden in the interior of the erstwhile Adilabad district, posing serious risks to tourists and visitors during the monsoon season.
Adventure-seeking youth and tourists often explore these remote falls, but local officials have yet to implement necessary safety protocols. Fortunately, some local residents assist visitors when accidents occur, but this informal support cannot substitute for proper infrastructure.
While popular sites such as Kuntala Falls in Neredigonda, Pochera Falls in Boath mandal, Mitte Jalapatham (Sapthagundala) in Lingapur, and Gayatri Falls in Ichoda mandal see heavy foot traffic, many others remain off the beaten path. Unofficial attractions include Chinthalamadara and Gundala in Tiryani, Parakapi in Narnoor, Babhejhari near Jodeghat in Kerameri, Dharloddi and Mollalgutta in Adilabad Rural mandal, and Saathkundi in Indravelli mandal. Additional secluded cascades lie in Sirpur (U), Kerameri, Chinthalamanepalli, and Bejjur mandals of Komaram Bheem Asifabad district.
One such spot, Kubhejhari in Adilabad mandal, is renowned for its dramatic rock formations, sandy banks, and a small Shiva temple, yet it, too, remains largely undeveloped and accessible only by rugged side roads. Despite their natural beauty, these waterfalls attract far fewer visitors than the well-known sites, leaving them without any formal safety or security measures.
No single department, police, forest, or revenue, has assumed responsibility for visitor safety at these remote falls, and there is no coordinated oversight among them. As a result, many young visitors, arriving on bikes and in cars, engage in risky behaviour such as drinking from improvised “hookah” devices made from plastic bottles and smoking ganja while navigating slippery rocks. Tragically, several have drowned or been swept away by sudden surges in water flow.
Tourism minister Jupally Krishna Rao has announced that he will convene a special meeting with local MLAs and relevant officials to identify these sites for development and draft an action plan to improve safety and promote tourism across the erstwhile Adilabad district.
