Eighteen young people who had partied at the Vajrapoha waterfalls and trespassed into the Bhimgad wildlife sanctuary were taken into prison by Belagavi forest officials on Monday.
On Sunday, the teens had celebrated by playing loud music by the waterfalls. COMMERCIAL The waterfalls are located inside a protected area, and access is restricted due to the roughly nine km of hiking required to reach them through dense forest.
Wildlife campaigners assert that the Sunday celebration is not an isolated incidence, citing other instances since January of this year in which young people have defied forest inspectors, thrown birthday parties, and started campfires within the forest. Images and videos from these festivities are going viral on WhatsApp groups and social media platforms.
Elephant herds frequently pass through the area, and sloth brews are prevalent. Not only does such unauthorized intrusion into protected regions endanger human lives, but it also damages the forest (forest fires) and wildlife.
A young person drowned under the waterfall last year while attempting to escape a honey bee sting. Locals wonder how, despite anti-poaching camps and frequent patrols, so many young people have been able to enter the restricted area with ease. Nestled deep within the protected region is the Vajrapoha waterfalls. It cannot be accessed without the forest officials’ consent.
The range forest officers of Bhimgad and Kanakumbi denied that young people entered their area. “We have guards patrolling the area and anti-poaching camps.” Since the walk route to the waterfalls is extremely narrow and dangerous, it is quite unlikely that anyone will be able to enter from the Bhimgad side. The teens may have entered through a different entrance, according to Mahesh Marennavar, RFO of the Bhimgad wildlife sanctuary. He said that going forward, they will be more vigilant around the waterfalls.
