Ranchi: Winter fun should never turn fatal.

Taking this idea two steps forward, tourist guides of waterfront picnic spots near the capital have decided to enforce a complete ban on liquor consumption and use of loudspeakers at all the five picturesque river cascades, beginning with Hundru Falls.

A group of 30 paryatak mitras on Wednesday held a meeting with police at the waterfall, 50km from here, to chalk out modalities to ensure Christmas and New Year, which witness maximum footfall, remain incident-free.

A total of 93 guides man the waterfall quintet of Hundru, Dassam, Jonha, Sita and Panchghagh. A similar meeting is slated at Dassam Falls in Bundu on Thursday followed by another at Jonha.

Baleshwar Bedia, one of the senior paryatak mitras at Hundru, said there were nearly three dozen shops on the approach road to the waterfall. "Since the beginning of December, we are keeping tabs on these shops to ensure they do not sell/offer liquor to tap more customers. The drive will continue," he said.

According to Bedia, plans were afoot to form flying squads of paryatak mitras to impose the ban on liquor consumption and rampant use of loudspeakers, besides stopping daredevil stunts and risky selfies, at all the five waterfalls.

"Technically, we can't make the whole of Hundru liquor-free. Even VIPs come here and carry their own stocks. Our focus is on preventing accidents that take place because of boozing beyond limit. Young people are mostly involved in these cases," he conceded grey areas.

How will police help?

"Our job will be to remain alert, identify danger signs and inform police. We may also slap fines on offenders and seek their police custody," said Raj Kishore, another paryatak mitra, adding that they had already put up a dozen red flags in peril zones, specifying that no selfies should be taken in these places.

A partyatak mitra at Jonha Falls, Raju Mahto, said they too were drawing up similar measures and the final plan would be ready in a day or two.

OC Praveen Kumar Sinha of Sikidri thana, which exercises jurisdiction over Hundru, said the main objective was to make these tourist spots safer.

"Police have already formed 20 mohalla committees as panchayat level. Their job is to keep an eye on roads that lead to the tourist spot and inform us if they suspect anything (like bootlegging) or anyone for that matter," the officer added.

Are you for or against these measures? Tell ttkhand@abpmail.com