Ahmedabad: If you are planning to go birdwatching at Nalsarovar, be prepared to watch the birds from the shore as the boating activity at the lake remains suspended. This is because the eco-tourism committee is yet to be formed to implement the new safety regulations that have been introduced in the wake of the Harni tragedy in Vadodara in Jan.
While the bird sanctuary reopened on Oct 16, the boating activity has not yet resumed.
A forest officer said, "The forest department has made it clear that local boatmen must form a committee, which will have to sign a memorandum of understanding and only then shall boating be permitted."
"The administration has established strict guidelines regarding tourist capacity on boats, ensuring compliance with regulations. The boatmen have been asked to ensure tourists do not dispose of plastic into the lake. We have observed that boat rides, officially scheduled for two hours, frequently extend to three to four hours as boatmen engage in unauthorised negotiations with tourists once they are on the lake. They charge them fees that exceed the official rates," the officer added.
According to the officer, following the MoU signing, boatmen must strictly adhere to predetermined return times for tourist trips. The eco-tourism committee will monitor the activities.
The forest officials reported that boatmen showed resistance to implementing safety protocols, claiming these measures were unnecessary due to the lake's shallow depth, which never exceeds 5 feet.
However, the officials said, the boatmen have agreed to adhere to the new regulations, and they will sign the MoU soon.
Approximately 400 boats, mostly owned by locals, operate in the Nalsarovar. These fishing boats serve double-duty as tourist boats from Oct to Jan.
The officials said that Nalsarovar has never had formal notifications regarding life jackets or safety precautions since the inception of its boating activities.
A member of the boatmen's association, speaking anonymously, stated, "These are not mechanised boats and therefore they move slowly. The lake's safety record has been commendable with no reported incidents of boats overturning or visitors falling into the water."
At present, approximately 15 cars bring tourists to Nalsarovar each day, a significant decrease from the previous average of 80 cars a day and more than 300 vehicles during weekends. "Tourist activities would reach their peak from mid-Dec when birds would arrive in large numbers at the lake. We do not want to miss out on the tourism season and therefore the boating activity will commence shortly," the association member said.