To ensure the safety of travelers
The Goa Department of Forestry has banned people from entering waterfalls in wildlife sanctuaries, according to timesofindia. Two people have recently died in South Goa and the ban will be in effect from now on to ensure the safety of travelers.
Acting in accordance with the issued order , chief wildlife officer Umakant has banned people from entering all reserves and waterfalls until further notice. In addition, due to the incessant heavy rains in the state and full-flowing rivers in forested areas, visiting the falls is currently considered unsafe, according to reports.
Most of the time, Goa's waterfalls are crowded with picnics. It's been the same this year, and social media has been flooded with complaints of overcrowding and misbehavior at popular waterfalls, prompting the forest department and government to demand that entry to reserves be regulated, especially on weekends.
Referring to the ban, State Forestry Minister Vishwajit Rane added that the department would look into the ban after making sure it had a mechanism in place to ensure the flow of picnics and tourists to the falls was checked. He also added that complaints will be taken into account and rules will be put in place so that people are not in danger of losing their lives and enjoy the trip without any hassle.
Goa is home to five nature reserves Wildlife: Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary and Mollem National Park, Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary, Kotigao Wildlife Sanctuary, Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary and Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary. Officials added that during the rainy season, tourists and locals flock to some of the seasonal waterfalls, and because most beaches remain inaccessible during the rainy season, tourists and locals often travel deep into protected forest areas and outlying areas in search of adventure.
Thus, the decision to deny entry was taken as a precautionary measure in light of the recent incident.