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Speaking at a press conference held at Mangaluru, he mentioned that trekking activities, which were halted after the chaos caused by thousands of trekkers visiting Kumara Parvatha on January 26t will resume in August.
Usually, entry to any trekking path is denied during the monsoon season due to the increased risk to trekkers and potential harm to local wildlife and vegetation. Hence, trekking activities will resume from August, he stated.
Several trekking trails in the state are already managed by the Eco-Tourism division, which has implemented an online ticket system. Similarly, the Forest Department has made online ticket arrangements for Kudremukh Peak, Netravati Peak, Kodachadri, Kurinjal, Kangadikal, and Narasimha Parvatha. However, some places, like Yettina Bhuja, still lack this system. A single website will be developed for booking tickets for all these trekking paths, he added.
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Some tour operators are generating excessive interest in trekking among the youth, leading to overcrowding on the trails during weekends. The accumulation of plastic waste has also become a problem. Strict measures are necessary to protect nature and the environment, he emphasized.
The number of trekkers will be limited based on the extent of each trail, the availability of guides, and other basic facilities. Technology will be used to ensure that the number of trekkers does not exceed the prescribed limit on any trail, he stated.
If there are complaints about allowing more trekkers than permitted on any trail, third-party inspections will be conducted, and necessary actions will be taken, he mentioned.
With the facility to book advance tickets for various trekking trails on a single website, trekkers will have the option to book tickets for another trail if they do not get a ticket for their desired trail, Minister Eshwar Khandre explained.