VALPOI: The locals and tourists flock to Sattari during monsoon for water rafting, forest trails and to enjoy waterfalls especially during the weekend.
The villagers usually welcome visitors, however, this year, due to COVID pandemic, they have decided not to allow any outsider to enter their village also on account of growing menace of discarding waste at the scenic waterfalls.
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The villagers of Brahma Karmali have put up boards requesting the locals and tourists against visiting the waterfalls. They are worried that the increase in the number of urban visitors will put their life at risk.
The taluka has several waterfalls and the most popular ones are in Saleli, Keri, Morle, Copardem, Pali, Charavane, Hivre, Nanoda, Bambar, Brahma Karmali, Shelpe and Chorla Ghat. Most waterfalls within the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary spring to life during the monsoon.
Every weekend, thousands of picnickers and trekkers from Goa and neighbouring States visit these waterfalls. Earlier, at these tourist attractions, the Forest Department charged entry fee.
Policemen were deployed at a few sites to keep the picnickers consuming alcohol from getting unruly.
Sagar Prabhudessai, a prominent citizen of Brahma Karmali said, “Many accidents have occurred as the locals and tourists drink and drive. People from the interior villages of Sattari suffer due to this unruly behaviour of a few tourists, many times, the village women have complained of eve-teasing by these tourists.”
“The influx of weekend visitors leads to traffic snarls in Valpoi town. The villagers also complained that a few tourists even dance on the roads after consuming alcohol and create ruckus,” Sagar claimed.
Nagargao Panch Parag Khadilker said, “Picnickers and trekkers dump garbage and plastic in the forest area, break alcohol bottles near the waterfalls and create nuisance.”
“This is a threat to our environment. There should be a strict vigil on the tourists. At a few places, the Forest Department clears the garbage, but the work is carried out at a snail’s pace,” Parag informed.
