300 trekkers rescued from forest in 7hr operation at Malshej Ghat as Kalu river rises | India News

PUNE: In a seven-hour operation on Saturday, forest staffers and locals rescued 300 trekkers, including 100 women, after they were left stranded in the forest at Malshej Ghat where the level of the Kalu river increased because of rainfall measuring 200mm in three hours.The incident happened at Waghachi Wadi on the Thane-Pune border, about 150km from Pune city, near the Kalyan-Ahilyanagar highway. The rescue effort commenced at 3pm and continued until 10pm, successfully bringing to safety the trekkers — mostly from Hyderabad, Mumbai and Pune.Officials from Thane and Junnar forest divisions, who were part of the rescue effort, said most trekkers had arrived early in the morning and had not anticipated the heavy showers or rise in the river water.The state disaster management cell and the district administrations informed the rescuers about the incident after receiving calls for help. The operation was particularly difficult, as locals had to swim through the gushing water to secure ropes and harnesses to trees and use a zipline to transport individuals across the river.Local resident of Morushi village Bhaskar Mengal (24), who was amongst the first to respond to the crisis, said, “There was no way to reach the trekkers other than to swim through the gushing and rising water. I swam across the river to tie ropes and harness to the trees. The tourists were scared and I had to calm them down. We first rescued the women after explaining how to use a zipline to cross the river and allaying fears about a fall. We sent them across one by one. Later, another villager, Kamlu Pokla, and forest guards joined me.”Range forest officer of Tokavade forest range in Thane district Rajvardhan Bhosale told TOI that the tourists ventured into the restricted dense forest on Saturday morning without consulting the villagers. They were unaware of the local conditions, which led to the situation where the river’s water level suddenly rose within a few hours. The area is treacherous and risky for outsiders,” he added.Meanwhile, Pokla said, “The stranded trekkers panicked and were hesitant to follow our instructions as it started to turn dark. We had to calm them down before rescuing them from the deep forest.”Forest officials said tourists prefer to approach the Kalu river waterfall from the Murbad tehsil side because the trek to the waterfall is steep. However, the zone is located within a reserved forest area, home to a large population of wildlife, including leopards and venomous snakes.Junnar division’s assistant forest officer Smita Rajhans said, “Visitors from Maharashtra and other states flock to Junnar and surrounding areas for monsoon treks after watching videos on social media. They often disregard their safety and forget to hire locals for guidance. They attempt adventurous activities in dense forest zones leading to difficult situations.”Kalu WaterfallKalu Waterfall is situated in Khireshwar village, Junnar tehsil — which is part of the Malshej Ghat region. It is renowned for its stunning natural beauty and attracts thousands of visitors, especially from Mumbai and Pune, during monsoon. The river cascades from a height of 1,200ft, making it one of the largest waterfalls in the region and district.However, locals have been voicing concerns about protocol at the site, noting that inadequate safety measures have resulted in numerous fatalities. The area is prone to slippery patches and unstable rocks, raising the risk of accidents. Visitors are compulsively drawn to the site after watching videos on social media.