Recent arrest of trekkers for violating forest rules shows the kind of confusion in eco-tourism sector

What starts off as an innocuous desire to explore the lush forests and towering peaks of the State, sometimes ends up as an interrogation by a forest officer or at the local police station. For 18 trekkers from Bengaluru, the experience was all too real when they arrived at M.M. Hills. Organised through a travel portal, they landed in the forests of Chamrajanagar, only to be rounded up by the officials of the Forest Department for illegally trespassing into a wildlife sanctuary.

This experience, however, is not uncommon, particularly with adventure portals, trekking clubs and informal groups increasing in number to catch up with the demand for trekking.

“We had no idea that the trek was illegal. As a portal, we rely on the vendors who offer these treks … it is up to them to obtain the required permissions. We relied entirely on the local guide … since there are no boards or signs demarcating revenue and forest land, those in the trek did not know they had strayed into a forest range,” said Pradyot Punj of the portal adventuresome.in, which organised the trek.

Portals insist responsibility lies on the vendors — locals offering the trek — and participants are made to sign an indemnity contract fixing responsibility of any eventualities on the guides themselves. “After this experience, we will ensure that all vendors have the required permissions. Many organisations are not aware of this,” added Mr. Punj.

Business-minded

An increase in for-profit companies over the last two years has seen rampant flouting of rules, says Niranjan Kumar, an avid trekker, who organises hiking outings on a voluntary basis. “These companies tend to rely on locals looking to make a quick buck. We have seen them litter and burst crackers to make it seem like a party for gullible participants. What costs us Rs. 300 to organise will be charged Rs. 1,400 by some companies. It has become less about nature and more about commerce. This gives a bad name to all trekkers,” he said.

The Kodagu experience

In Kodagu, which attracts thousands of Bengaluru residents on weekends, the trek through the reserve forest at Thadiyandamol — the highest peak in the district — was proving to be a headache for the officials of the Forest Department. “There used to be night treks offered by coffee plantations and home stays in the area. We have put an end to it by posting a watcher there. Also, boards have been installed to warn trekkers,” said Manoj Kumar, Chief Conservator of Forests (Kodagu).

For Forest Department officials, illegal trekking remains a problem in Chikkamagaluru, Chamarajanagar and Dakshina Kannada districts. The emphasis, instead, is on the Karnataka Eco-Tourism Development Board to increase the number of trails that are offered legally. “After the monsoons, we will be offering more trails and ensure that trekking and hiking can be done in a regulated manner,” said Vijay Mohan Raj, Additional CEO of the Board.

No night trek near Bengaluru

Benglauru may see more hiking trails once the monsoon clouds clear. The Karnataka Eco-Tourism Development Board has proposed opening of trails such as Skandagiri, Savandurga, and Madhugiri. However, the once popular night treks — done surreptitiously over the years — will remain banned as forest officials emphasise that large-scale human movement adversely disturbs nocturnal animals

Will an app clear the confusion?

With eco-tourism, particularly trekking, remaining shrouded in confusion and bureaucracy, the Forest Department hopes to bring in some clarity by launching “myecotrip,” a mobile application.“From zoo tickets to bookings in jungle lodges to trekking trails, this app will allow citizens to directly connect with the nature activity of their choice,” said Vijay Mohan Raj, Additional CEO of the Karnataka EcoTourism Development Board. The app, however, will be launched only in September after the monsoon and when forest trails will once again be open to trekkers.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bengaluru / Mohit M Rao / Bengaluru – July 13th, 2016

Hill slopes blanketed with coffee estates, foggy climate, and fairly adamant rains are what Kodava Nadu welcomes you with during the monsoons.

The Kodagu region’s salubrious weather makes it an ideal getaway for weekend treks, and the Kopatty trail comes highly recommended. One of the lesser known trails of the region, Kopatty takes you through coffee plantations, forest areas, and a massive grassland before taking you to the summit. This entire trek takes about three hours to complete.

Typically a day trek, it’s best to start your journey towards Kopatty early in the morning, closer to the sunrise, but during the rains it’s quite difficult to see one, so you could start as per your convenience as long as you keep track of time.

Reaching Kopatty is easy; get to Madikeri a day ahead. From there take a bus to Bhagamandala or to Tala-Cauvery and get off at Charambane village. It takes about an hour to reach the village from Madikeri. Many people make a stop at Tala-Cauvery to see the origins of the Cauvery rive, but at this time you can’t really see much thanks to the rains. Having said that, the thick fog and continuous rains can be an extraordinary experience. From Charambane Village, head towards the Bhagamandala route for another kilometre, and you will reach Kopatty Temple, which is where the trail begins.

Charambane is nestled between thick forest cover; it’s a small village with light population, and a few shops selling food and beverages for the trekkers. This is also last place where you’ll see any human settlement before you start your trek. Pick up some essentials from the stores here if you’ve missed carrying anything.

The walk into the forest begins at Kopatty Temple. You can meet the locals, or even guides at the base of the hill who help you into the trail. There are also jeeps available in case you want a ride all the way to the top. But there’s not much fun in that is there?

The start of the trail is a tarred road, with paddy fields on either side. The muddy path for jeeps begin soon after, as do the coffee plantations. The road is fairly flat for a few kilometres till you reach a small stream, the first one on the trail. After that the steep climb through the forest begins. It will lead you to a ‘Y’ junction; take the left from there as the trail narrows down, and you’ll find two abandoned houses. Take a right from the houses, and you will be inside the forest. Hereon, the trails gets very little natural light, thanks to the canopied trees, and you need to focus on where you’re going. Also be aware of bugs and leeches. Hold branches to move ahead, but don’t lean against the trees because they’re usually crawling with large ants.

After a while you will spot the second stream on the trail; it’s a small one, and you can rest here for a while before moving forward. You can even drink this water.

As you move forward, you will leave the forest area and be in the middle of a beautiful meadow. On your right will be the dense forest area, and on your left will be the beautiful valleys of the region. And if you look ahead, you can see the Kopatty peak in front of you. The path from here is literally like walking on a carpet. It should take you about 10 minutes to reach the peak, which is said to be at a height of 4,500 feet above sea level. From here you get a magnificent view of the Western Ghats as well.

The descent will have you walk towards Kallugundi across the Kopatty ridge and you will head towards the valley on the left. It will lead you back to the forest from where the climb down is steep, with lots of slippery paths, and dried leaves.

GETTING THERE

Kopatty Village is around 296 kilometres from Bangalore. It can be reached by either bus or a private transport. There are buses from Bangalore to Madikeri too.

source: http://www.bangaloremirror.com / Bangalore Mirror / Home> Columns> Others / Bangalore Mirror Bureau / by Kumaran P / July 05th, 2016