Meera Bhardwaj:
Karnataka Forest Department has failed to stop long rafting in Kali River which has been going on for decades at Ganeshgudi and Dandeli, Haliyal Division, Uttar Kannada district, Karnataka, India.
Covering a distance of 9-12 kilometres, the illegal long rafting in Kali River involving 7-9 rapids has caused irreparable damage and disturbance to the Hornbill Conservation Reserve and protected forest. This has forced hornbills to abandon their nesting sites and further, their numbers are coming down in this protected area.
Long rafting in Kali River which started in 2004 – has continued unabated with many resort owners flouting and violating Forest (Conservation) Act and Wildlife (Protection) Act. Activists say, “There was no short rafting at all, it was only long rafting stretching from 8-12 kilometres amidst pristine forests. In fact, the riverine forest has been completely turned into a commercial and tourist hub.”
In the aftermath of the notification of Hornbill Conservation Reserve, many DCFs tried to stop long rafting, however, they were not successful in putting an end to this eco-disastrous activity.
POLITICAL BACKING FUELS UNSUSTAINABLE TOURISM
A homestay owner and naturalist said, “The political and real estate lobby is so powerful that the Karnataka Forest Department has not been able to stop any illegal activity in this riverine forest. Both Ganeshgudi – right from Supa Dam and Dandeli alongside the Kali River have turned into a playground for tourists, revellers and photo buffs.
One cannot expect adventure and pleasure-seeking tourists to have any knowledge about the damage caused by their activities to the resident hornbills in the Western Ghats, say activists.
Even as one travels on the road leading to Ganeshgudi after Supa Dam, one can see small resorts sending their agents to catch tourists for river rafting and charging Rs 500 per person for a trip around the river where the Hornbill Conservation Reserve is situated.
At a time, one can see almost 45-50 boats rafting all around the river at Ganeshgudi where the L-shaped Hornbill Conservation Reserve criss-crosses with long rafting disturbing the hornbills to no end. During this season, the hornbills are busy roosting, nesting, feeding and taking shelter in this protected forest.
“Many DCFs have tried to stop mid-river rafting and long rafting in Dandeli riverine forests but such unsustainable activities have returned with a vengeance due to political backing,” says a wildlife conservationist.
“MAUJ MASTI” IN DANDELI FORESTS
Local people at Dandeli complain that the revellers and tourists from Bengaluru and Mumbai and other metros create a big tamasha – drinking, dancing and hollering amidst big bonfires in a riverine forest without a care. None of them seem to be aware of the fact that they are a big nuisance and how they are affecting the endemic species and other wildlife of Dandeli Wildlife Range and the Hornbill Conservation Reserve.
According to wildlife activists and conservationists in Dandeli, this river rafting activity was sanctioned by the state government despite its adverse impact not only on the riverine habitat but also different species of hornbills and other native and endemic species of the Western Ghats. It started with Jungle Lodges & Resort introducing long rafting in pristine riverine forests and later private resorts owners jumped into the fray to make easy money at the cost of forests and its wildlife.
NEED FOR LICENSE CANCELLATION
Speaking to Green Minute News, CCF, Kanara Circle, T Heeralal said, “The DC of Karwar has to cancel the license given for long rafting in Kali River. We are in regular touch with the Karwar DC and have sent a detailed note how long rafting has been impacting the hornbills and its habitat. In turn, she has asked a few questions from the DCF. The resort owners have questioned that when Jungle Lodges and Resorts (JLR) are allowed to carry out long rafting in Kali River, why shouldn’t they be allowed?”
The CCF added, “Further, in the last few years, the JLR Ltd has floated tenders for private companies to carry out long rafting in Kali River. And this permission has been given by DC, Karwar. In this background, the DCF has challenged the decision of allowing private companies to run long rafting operations. We are awaiting the decision by DC, Karwar as from our side, we are clear that long rafting is impacting the protected forest and the Hornbill Conservation Reserve.”
MULTIPLE TOURISM SOUNDS DEATH KNELL FOR DANDELI
Naturalists and worried local residents add, “25 years of illegal rafting, trekking, excessive tourism, safaris in protected forests have wreaked havoc and impacted the protected areas of Dandeli Sanctuary and Hornbill CR. Chaotic adventure sports like ziplining across Kali River near the Hornbill CR has impacted the Schedule-1 species in both Dandeli and Ganeshgudi.”
They add, “No carrying capacity studies have been done to ascertain whether this unique, fragile habitat with endemic hornbill species of the Western Ghats are able to bear the onslaught of multiple tourism activities. There is an urgent need for scientific studies how adventure sports like rafting, kayaking, trekking, zip lines and other unsustainable activities in Kali River affect the protected forests.”
Although night tourism is banned in tiger reserves as per NTCA guidelines and Supreme Court order dated 17.9.2025, however, tourism during night time continues without a break near Supa Dam wherein four resorts are indulging in all kinds of “Mauj Masti”, inform activists.
And activists add, “One can hear the sounds of dancing, DJ music and drinking in the pristine forests of Dandeli. It is not just excessive tourism but this is also followed by silent encroachment of riverine forests by resort owners and real estate agencies.”
DEGRADATION OF MATURE FORESTS
The writ of the Karnataka Forest Department does not run in Dandeli forests as they have to bow down to the diktats of high-profile resort owners, powerful real estate lobbies and of course, the local politicians.
The mushrooming of resorts, hotels, adventure and entertainment sports combined with unsustainable tourism activities in Kali River which is a very critical habitat for hornbills – has directly resulted in forest fragmentation, encroachment and finally, degradation of mature forests.
“Further, planting of acacia and eucalyptus trees by paper mills in Dandeli has adversely impacted the hornbill habitat. In the last two decades, excessive and unsustainable tourism and infrastructure development has damaged 90 percent of Dandeli Sanctuary,” opine a few stakeholders who have filed cases in the High Court.