Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (MS)

Mangaluru, May 1: Trekking on the hills of Western Ghats gives immense joy. At the same time, it is dangerous also as it is not easy to get back to track if one loses his or her way during trekking. The district administration is planning to come up with a trekking route to prevent this danger and also promote tourism.

There are many Trekking Peaks in Western Ghats of Dakshina Kannada district. Most of them are like going in the morning and returning back by evening. Tourists and trekkers from outstation districts and states in large numbers arrive at these spots.

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Only 50 percent of trekkers arriving at Western Ghats trekking spots know the exact route. Sometimes experienced trekkers accompany them. Others use Google Map or blog or newspaper articles or websites for route reference. As much as 90% of these kinds of trekkers lose their way. Losing track in Western Ghats forests could be fatal. It is not easy to trace them also. In a year one or two incidents of trekkers losing their way gets reported. So it is necessary to prepare a route with various trekking points according to deputy commissioner (DC) Dr Rajendra K V.

If one has to enter the forest of Western Ghats, cooperation of the forest department is must. So the aim of this plan is to identify the hills for trekking. This does not mean constructing roads. But a definite route to be marked with the help of local villagers and forest committee. So that every time the same route is used by trekkers. Locals can be hired as guides with trekking teams. This will create employment to locals also in addition to safe trekking to the tourists.

The DC says, "There are countless hidden trekking routes in the district. Some incidents of people losing way and getting detected later happen. In order to prevent this and to promote tourism, we have planned to make definite trekking routes."

Dinesh Holla, trekker and environmentalist says, "The number of people who go to the forest on the pretext of trekking but just freak out and cause environmental pollution is increasing. This should be curtailed in the first place. If the trekking route is done only from the point of view of income, it is dangerous. It is better to give permission to people who will work within certain rules and study Western Ghats and create awareness."