PORVORIM: PORVORIM: The State government intends to encourage hinterland and wildlife tourism in a sustainable manner, especially for people from Sanguem and Sattari talukas, whose livelihood was affected after the areas were declared protected.

Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said, “Environment and commerce have to be balanced. But what in many places we see is greed,” he said.

He said that in order to streamline footfalls at Dudhsagar Waterfall the government will introduce online facility to book jeeps ferrying tourists there. Parrikar said the State Wildlife Board, which will meet on December 16, will take several decisions regarding the tourist flow to this waterfall.

Parrikar was responding to a question tabled by Sanvordem MLA Deepak Pawaskar who claimed that several tourists intending to visit the waterfall had to return due to lack of vehicles to transport them.

Around 2,500-3,000 people visit Dudhsagar every day, the MLA told the House. He even said that though 431 vehicles have been registered for ferrying the tourists, only 225 are permitted by the government, others being left jobless. 

Parrikar said the carrying capacity of the waterfall in terms of the number of vehicles that can travel to the site is limited as the terrain is rough and it goes through the Wildlife Sanctuary.

Parrikar said, “In order to avoid last minute dejection for the tourists, the State government is thinking to start online booking of vehicles which takes the visitors to this waterfall.”

Parrikar said that the people who are living around the waterfall were given an employment opportunity to transport passenger but greed resulted in one person buying more than one vehicle.