Dharampuri: Picnickers who came to Hogenakkal for the aadi perukku festival were happy because coracle service was resumed after inflow into the Cauvery receded to below 17,000 cusec as measured on Friday.“The ban on sightseeing in Cauvery of Hogenakkal that continued for 25 days since July 10, was lifted today (Friday) because the river's inflow has come down,” an officer in the Tamil Nadu Tourism department told reporters.
He added, “Oarsmen were asked to ferry picnickers from Kothikal till Rasimanal Thittu and back. The license of any person will be cancelled if found violating the order.”The Dharmapuri district administration gave a holiday on Friday for the festival and elaborate arrangements were made to operate special buses to clear the crowd; water tanks were kept at all places to provide safe drinking water, policemen regulated the crowd and teams consisting of fire tender and rescue staff and local fishermen were kept ready to save people in case of an emergency.
In the evening, minister for Tourism Vellamandi N Natarajan, minister for Higher Education K.P. Anbazhagan, Dharmapuri collector, S. Malavizhi and district superintendent of police Bandi Gandhar took part in the government function at Hogenakkal.
