PERUNTHENARUVI WATER FALLS

PERUNTHENARUVI

 WATER FALLS

Perunthenaruvi water falls is at a  distance of 8.6 Kilometers from the town Pathanamthitta, in Kerala State, India.This stream later falls into  the holy river of ‘Pamba’, a sacred river which originates near to the very famous Hindu Pilgrimage temple of Sabrimala. It is located in the Western Ghats.The Perunthenaruvi water falls is accessible by Road from Pathanamthitta, Tiruvalla or from Ranni (23 Kilometers), other  nearby towns. Tirvuvalla, 43 Kilometers or Chenganoor,45 Kilometers are the nearest railway stations on broad gauge railway. Cochin International Airport at 145 Kilometers away is the nearest airport.

The Pampa cascades in a magnificent waterfall down a rocky terrain in the forests of Vechoochira and Naranammoozhy. The sparkling waterfall, Perunthenaruvi, or stream of honey, in the idyllic Sabarimala forests is at its best during the monsoon.Yet not many tourists come to take in the beauty. Pathanamthitta, blessed with verdant forests, rivers and lush hills and dales, is yet to witness proper and prompt initiatives to tap its immense tourism potential.The inordinate delay in the execution of various schemes, chalked out as part of the multi-crore ecotourism project at Perunthenaruvi, near Vechoochira, in Ranni taluk, is testimony to this laxity.The multi-crore Perunthenaruvi ecotourism project was launched when E. Chandrashekharn Nair was Tourism Minister in 1998. Raju Abraham, MLA, told The Hindu that the idea was to promote ecotourism and add Perunthenaruvi to the ecotourism chain linking Achencoil, Konni, Ranni, Gavi, and Kochu Pampa.

Originally, the idea was to execute the project in three phases. The first phase comprised the setting up of a parking ground and the improvement of the road between Navodaya Vidyalaya at Vechoochira and Perunthenaruvi, Mr. Abraham said.The then Tourism Minister had sanctioned Rs.20 lakh for the work and it was utilised in two years.The project faced hurdles when the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) raised objections, stating that it was planning a small hydroelectric project upstream.The issue was resolved after many rounds of talks initiated by the MLA. The Small Industries Development Corporation (SIDCO), the implementing agency, had prepared a project for the proposed eco-tourism centre.The second phase involved the construction of a modern accommodation centre with four cottages overlooking the waterfall, an auditorium, cafeteria, and two dormitories to accommodate 200 people.

The Tourism Department had sanctioned Rs.90 lakh and Rs.55 lakh in two instalments in 2009 and 2010, respectively. Two cottages had been completed and the work on the auditorium and dormitories was progressing, sources said.The proposed hanging footbridge, above the waterfalls, will come up in the third phase, Mr. Abraham said. Construction of walkways on either bank of the river and elaborate landscaping are also part of this phase.The project, on completion, will transform Perunthenaruvi into an ecofriendly convention centre, the MLA said.The District Tourism Promotion Council has plans to organise treks to the Panamkudantha waterfall in the adjoining forests. But, the tardy progress of work has been inordinately delaying the project.

The Tourism Department has launched the project, estimated to cost Rs.3 crore, as part of the proposed eco-tourism chain in the region, linking Achencoil, Konni, Ranni, Gavi and Kochu Pampa, said Raju Abraham, MLA.Mr. Abraham told The Hindu that the project envisaged construction of a modern convention centre overlooking the Perunthenaruvi waterfalls, to be implemented in three phases.He said the first phase of the project involved construction of five view towers, a vehicle parking ground and a cafeteria at an estimated cost of Rs.99 lakh. The first phase would be completed in the next three months, he added.The MLA said dormitories to accommodate 250 persons and a convention hall would be constructed in the second phase. The third phase envisaged construction of a hanging footbridge across the stream, footpaths and landscaping.He said the hanging bridge and view towers, once completed, would provide an opportunity to tourists to have a spectacular view of the Perunthenaruvi stream, a tributary of the Pampa, that plunges into a 40-metre ravine.He said the Tourism Department was also planning to organise periodic trekking to the Panamkudantha waterfalls in the nearby forests from Perunthenaruvi in due course.The MLA said the project, once completed, would be handed over to the Pathanamthitta District Tourism Promotion Council.

Prof. John Kurakar