The Hindu : Kerala News : Police indifference at Palaruvi alleged

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Oct 14, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Police indifference at Palaruvi alleged

By Our Staff Reporter

Volunteers of the Palaruvi Vana Samrakshana Samiti who were attacked by a gang recently.

KOLLAM, OCT. 13. Volunteers of the Palaruvi Vana Samrakshana Samiti (PVSS) have alleged that the indifference on the part of the local police in supporting their initiatives to keep the renowned waterfalls a safe spot for family picnic has resulted in an alarming drop in tourist inflow to the scenic spot.

The volunteers told The Hindu that on June 26 last a gang of 31 young men from Thiruvananthapuram arrived at the Palaruvi waterfalls site in a minibus. When they insisted on consuming alcohol in the bathing area the volunteers objected to it. This led to the youngsters ``unleashing a reign of terror'' there. Nine Samiti volunteers were allegedly beaten up and hospitalised.

Several families, including a good number of women, who came to see the waterfalls were present at the site then. Though the local police were informed soon, they not only failed to respond, but even took sides with the culprits by registering attempt to culpable homicide cases against the Samiti volunteers.

Bid to protect the area

The waterfalls area was once notorious as a boozing point and a haven for anti-social activities. At that time those arriving there as tourists posed a threat to the environment. In 2001, the Forest Department began taking steps to make it a tourist-friendly spot. The cooperation of the local people was sought their services were roped in to protect the waterfalls area and promote family tours to the spot.

In July 2003 the Samiti was formally constituted with an allocation of Rs. 50,000. The 15-member volunteer corps includes two women. The clean-up operation at Thenmala resulted in boosting family tours to the area, and this generated a revenue of Rs.8.5 lakhs for the Samiti.

The Samiti president, G. Vijayakumar, said that with the volunteer corps taking over control of the waterfalls area, all anti-social activities were put to an end. Drinking has been banned. Under the supervision of the volunteers, there are separate bathing ghats for men and women.

Mr. Vijayakumar said the clean-up operation resulted in loss of `income' to many, including a section of the policemen at the local station.

He alleged that any police help sought by the Samiti was ignored.

Even as the Samiti strives to promote Palaruvi, the cooperation of the police is essential to ensure the location as a safe place for family tourism, he said.

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