Kerala Tourism will soon commence discussions with stakeholders to put a cap on the number of visitors to ecologically fragile locales such as Munnar and the backwaters of Alappuzha.
This is aimed at giving a fillip to the State's sustainable and responsible tourism initiatives. The fixing of carrying capacity is necessitated due to the rampant flouting of norms regarding construction of hotels and resorts, apart from indiscriminate dumping of garbage and pollution of land and waterbodies, said a high-ranking official of Kerala Tourism.
Haphazard granting of building permits to tourism stakeholders by the local bodies has during the past two decades resulted in large-scale clearing of forests and erasing of hills in Munnar and nearby places. Most of the high-rises do not have effluent-treatment plants, with the result that sewage water makes its way to waterbodies. In Alappuzha, pristine backwaters are under threat due to the huge number of houseboats that operate within a limited geographical space, the official said.
“Already, there is a carrying capacity fixed on the number of visitors to Thekkady and locales such as Kuruva island in Wayanad, since these places are very eco-sensitive. The Forest Department has a say on the number of visitors to the places. Our aim is to make a similar intervention in Munnar, Alappuzha and other locales. The difference is that local bodies call the shots here and not an agency such as the Forest Department. In Alappuzha, the Ports and Inland Navigation departments too are involved. A government-level decision is awaited on limiting the number of visitors and houseboats,” the official said.
On its part, the Idukki District Tourism Promotion Council has been augmenting infrastructure in locales such as Wagamon and Panchalimedu to decongest Munnar. The emerging locales need more eco-friendly accommodation units, tourism sources said.
Fort Kochi
The State government had approved a master plan to regulate and streamline tourists who visit Fort Kochi. It will be implemented shortly, for which funds are awaited in the coming State Budget, it is learnt.
“Tourist footfalls in a locale will gradually lessen if it is not maintained in a clean and proper manner. A case in point is Kovalam, considered among the best beaches in Asia. No tourism locale has exceeded its carrying capacity in Kerala. We wasted tourism resources even without witnessing such high footfalls. The ecological and social impact of tourism must be carefully monitored,” said hotelier Jose Dominic.
