Tamil Nadu: Oarsmen seek nod to resume coracle rides in Hogenakkal

DHARMAPURI: Oarsmen in Hogenakkal on Wednesday urged the district administration to grant permission to resume coracles rides on river Cauvery.
The rides were closed for tourists in March 2020, following the outbreak of Covid-19. The district administration also banned tourists from visiting Hogenakkal due to the lockdown.
One of the oarsmen V Sigamani said, “Tourists usually visit Hogenakkal to enjoy the beauty of the Cauvery, mainly at the ‘five’ falls area.”
He said that he and other oarsmen could not earn a living due to the lockdown.
Even after the first wave, we could not resume the rides due to heavy water flow between September and December, he added.
The plight of hoteliers and lodge owners was akin to the oarsmen.
“While the government granted permission to open lodges and shops across the state after the second wave, a few tourist spots, including Hogenakkal, remain closed,” said G Viswanathan, a lodge owner. “The lodge owners and spa centre owners will be happy if the state government allowed tourists to visit Hogenakkal.”
They requested the district administration and state government to allow them to resume their operations, considering the plight of their families.