Madikeri: Kodagu Deputy Commissioner has banned river rafting activity and white water rafting across the district for a month. If need be, the ban will be permanent.

In an order issued yesterday, DC P.I. Sreevidya has stated that there were many adventure organisations and home stays running river rafting activities without permission. Recognised organisations have to apply for permission for river rafting from the District Administration.

“They have been given time till one month to apply and all applications will be considered after detailed scrutiny whether they have the mandatory equipment and other safety measures. If none of the organisations and adventure firms apply for permissions, river rafting activity will be permanently banned across the district,” the DC’s order stated.

The DC has fixed March 27 as the date for the meeting where adventure firms are required to attend a meeting at the DC office at 3 pm to apply for permission under Criminal Procedure Code Column 133. “Permanent river rafting ban orders will be issued if the applications were found unsatisfactory and criminal action will be taken against those who organise river rafting illegally,” the DC stated.

The DC’s orders come in the wake of several complaints from the tourists and villagers that adventure activity organisers have no expertise in river rafting and some of them are organising such events just to make money. Mandatory safety measures are not being followed by the organisers and lives are at stake, the tourists complained.

Tourists have also complained that rafting organisers on River Cauvery at Kushalnagar, Dubare and other places including Barapole in South Kodagu fight with the tourists and give rise to law and order problem.  

Following complaints, the DC visited some of the places where river rafting activities are being organised and has issued the orders based on her observations.