Not following precautions can turn any adventure into misadventure, as it happened in the case of Naveen.
Not following precautions can turn any adventure into misadventure, as it happened in the case of Naveen. Experts said nobody must undertake a trek without being familiar with the safety aspects.
Seshadri SK, who has been undertaking treks for more than 30 years with Care Adventures, said whenever his organisation takes a group for trekking, volunteers ask the participants to sign an undertaking, stating they will follow instructions.
Before a trek in the forest, the organisers do a recce to prepare route map, check for places for a water source and a place to camp. He said the permission of forest department is just as important as the forest officials send a guard with the group to ensure their safety.
Inexperienced trekkers should not throw caution to the wind. Seshadri said they should take someone experienced with them to correct them when they make mistakes and to dissuade them from venturing into restricted areas.
He said taking food, medicines and water is a basic rule for trekking, but many ignore this aspect. Lighting fire, too, is a strict no-no but the rookies do not know that or do not care about it.
Pack and go? No no
Abdul Aleem, partner, Outback Adventures, said many youngsters just pack their bags and go on treks, a practice that is dangerous.
He said overenthusiastic trekkers often choose to ignore the golden rule of such adventure trips—safety is first and foremost. Dev Chander, spokesperson of Outback Adventures, said mishaps happen because of the youngsters’ tendency to visit unexplored places.
He said people must resist the temptation to visit little-known places just because it seems appealing.
Partha De, operating manager of Bangalore Mountaineering Club, said it is the youngsters’ overconfidence that goads them to go for such trips.
De added that many take safety for granted after one or two treks. They try to explore virgin forest areas and overlook taking precautions.
Those who follow safety rules never undertake trips to areas such Nandi Hills, Skandagiri and Sakleshpur, where entry is restricted, he added.
Experts said many who do not know how to swim get into the water, risking their lives.
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