After Goa’s decision to ban tourists from entering popular waterfall sites, Karnataka has followed suit and implemented a similar ban in Khanapur Taluk of Belagavi District. The move comes after two youth drowned while attempting to reach the famous Dudhsagar waterfalls, which is situated on the Karnataka border but is a prime tourist attraction in Goa.
Many visitors from nearby states, such as Karnataka and Maharashtra, were caught off guard by the prohibition, which caused problems with crowd control and necessitated the use of additional police personnel. Some tourists voiced their displeasure with the quick decision, noting that limiting the number of visits rather than outright banning them could have been a wiser course of action.
The prohibition has been implemented by the Forest Departments of Goa and Karnataka in an effort to stop further accidents and guarantee the security of tourists during the monsoon season, when waterfalls are popular destinations for picnics. These restrictions are made in an effort to prevent repeated incidents of drowning and accidents brought on by gushing rivers, crowds and bad behaviour at these natural attractions.