Goemkarponn Desk
PANAJI: The Dudhsagar waterfall, which becomes dangerous during the monsoon, will remain open for visitors despite the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) Orange alert predicting heavy rainfall. This is a prime example of putting the picturesque view ahead of public safety.
The extension of the visiting period has been justified by the Office of the Deputy Conservator of Forests, Wildlife, and Ecotourism (North) Division, who cited a “likely delay in monsoon arrival in the area.”
The order, which was made available to the media on Friday through the Information & Publicity Department, states that “vehicular movement in the Dudhsagar Waterfall circuit which was earlier closed will be allowed till monsoon sets in the said areas due to the likely delay in the arrival of monsoon in the catchment areas of Dudhsagar.”
This comes three days after an earlier update that permitted visits to Dudhsagar until June 5—previously ordered to be closed as of June 1—was made.
Interestingly, the Orange alert, which warned of moderate to extremely heavy rainfall through June 11, was also issued on the same day. According to the alert, there would be heavy rain in a number of areas, with isolated areas in both North and South Goa expected to see extremely heavy rainfall.
A 40-year-old resident of Margao from Rajasthan drowned in the Dudhsagar River less than a week ago after taking a bath. At the waterfall, a 62-year-old Bangalorei traveler vanished recently.
Goa received seasonal rainfall over the course of the last six days, from June 1 to June 6. Dabolim recorded the most, at 100.4 mm, followed by Old Goa at 95.4 mm and Valpoi at 93.5 mm.
The least amount of rain fell in Margao (8.9 mm), slightly ahead of Quepem (18.2 mm).
With 65.4 mm of rain falling on each of them in the past 24 hours, Pernem and Sanquelim saw the most rainfall. The other regions recorded different amounts of rainfall: Valpoi recorded 58.9 mm, Mapusa 50.3 mm, Sanguem 44.8 mm, Ela 29.0 mm, Canacona 25.2 mm, and Ponda 20.0 mm; Panaji recorded 14.4 mm, Dabolim recorded 12.2 mm, Mormugao recorded 10.4 mm, Quepem recorded 10.2 mm, and Margao recorded 8.4 mm of light rainfall. The IMD reported that “monsoon activity was normal over Goa.”
