Despite ban, tourists still use soap, shampoo and plastic covers Despite Collector C.Samayamoorthy’s assurance that Courtallam town panchayat’s ban on using soap, shampoo and shikakai powder at the waterfalls would be strictly enforced, these banned products are being used. Though the water coming from the Western Ghats is known for its purity and medicinal values, the tourists use toilet soaps, shampoo and shikakai powder liberally while taking bath at Main Falls, Five Falls, Old Falls and Tiger Falls, knowing fully well that the chemicals mixed in these products and the plastic sachets in which they have been packed would pollute the water and the environment. Following several representations from the environmentalists, Courtallam town panchayat banned using of toilet and detergent soaps, shampoo and shikakai in an attempt to save the quality of water and also to check the dumping of huge mass of plastic wrappers in the tourist spot. The then Collector M.Jayaraman took another positive measure to save the Main Falls water from being polluted by banning the age-old practice of tourists taking bath at Shenbagadevi Falls that effectively checked pollution of water even before it reached Main Falls. Only devotees going to offer prayers at Shenbagadevi Amman Temple are allowed to go beyond ‘Chittraruvi’ after the ban came into force. Though the second ban is still in vogue, thanks to the strict vigil being maintained by the Forest Department staff, the first ban has simply vanished as Courtallam town panchayat itself is not keen on keeping the spirit of its resolution. The local body has neither deployed its personnel to monitor the violation nor instructed the policemen on duty there to strictly enforce the council’s resolution. When the matter was taken up with him at the beginning of this season, Mr.Samayamoorthy stated that he would look into the matter. Subsequently, he asked the Courtallam town panchayat administration to enforce the ban strictly. However, the instruction of the Collector is yet to be transformed into action. The local body has neither deployed personnel nor instructed the policemen to monitor the violation