Regulated tourism,need of the hour for Kodagu
Tourism has proved to have a fatal effect on the picturesque landscapes of Kodagu district and has transformed itself into a bane for the Eco sensitive zones.But at the same time tourism has grown to such large proportions that it's become so omnipotent within a couple of decades and now is part and parcel of the people residing here.
In spite of the calamity arising out of heavy downpour,flooding,water blasts,landslips and landslips the locals by and large appear to be in no mood to relent about any thought of parting away from activities related to tourism.Hence now the only option available is regulated tourism which's also high time to protect the environs for further generations.
There's no dearth of concerned people struggling to set right the wrong doings of all those who have hardly any thought about restoration,protection and conservation of the pristine forests but it looks like all their efforts are turning out to be a meaningless tussle with the onslaught of a gushing wind!
Col Muthanna has been the president of Coorg Wildlife Society almost since 12 years and has been involved in several activities related to wildlife conservation, but if you try to listen to his efforts so far they don't look to have yielded any results worth mentioning but for having the satisfaction of having made his point to all those concerned.
But what's worrisome now is the lethargic attitude of the state governmental officials in responding to the woes of environment while the elected representatives are totally against any moves intended to preserve the environment.
The population of Kodagu district is around five lakhs but the number of tourists who thronged the mountainous regions last year alone was 18 lakhs!Probably these numbers are eyeopeners to anyone to have a wild guess on the tremendous pressure the hilly terrain is facing.The adverse effect of handling waste management and the pollution hazards as a direct effect in the long run can be thus imagined.
Col Muthanna appears perturbed when he laments:The district administration has failed to address the immediate requirements of the district people who are less than one third of annual tourist foot fall.If you happen to go to the nearby hills of Madikeri,you cannot even withstand the stinking smell of the unprocessed garbage.Under such extremely challenging conditions,he feels now the only option available would be to vouch for a regulated type of tourism.
In spite of the calamity arising out of heavy downpour,flooding,water blasts,landslips and landslips the locals by and large appear to be in no mood to relent about any thought of parting away from activities related to tourism.Hence now the only option available is regulated tourism which's also high time to protect the environs for further generations.
There's no dearth of concerned people struggling to set right the wrong doings of all those who have hardly any thought about restoration,protection and conservation of the pristine forests but it looks like all their efforts are turning out to be a meaningless tussle with the onslaught of a gushing wind!
Col Muthanna has been the president of Coorg Wildlife Society almost since 12 years and has been involved in several activities related to wildlife conservation, but if you try to listen to his efforts so far they don't look to have yielded any results worth mentioning but for having the satisfaction of having made his point to all those concerned.
But what's worrisome now is the lethargic attitude of the state governmental officials in responding to the woes of environment while the elected representatives are totally against any moves intended to preserve the environment.
The population of Kodagu district is around five lakhs but the number of tourists who thronged the mountainous regions last year alone was 18 lakhs!Probably these numbers are eyeopeners to anyone to have a wild guess on the tremendous pressure the hilly terrain is facing.The adverse effect of handling waste management and the pollution hazards as a direct effect in the long run can be thus imagined.
Col Muthanna appears perturbed when he laments:The district administration has failed to address the immediate requirements of the district people who are less than one third of annual tourist foot fall.If you happen to go to the nearby hills of Madikeri,you cannot even withstand the stinking smell of the unprocessed garbage.Under such extremely challenging conditions,he feels now the only option available would be to vouch for a regulated type of tourism.
He expressed happiness about the chief minister's consent for prohibiting land conversions for commercial purposes in the district.Atthe same time,he opined:These restrictions will also make sense once a Government order is also issued to this effect through a gazette notification.
If at all the beautiful landscapes of the district need to remain the way they are conversion of lands for formation of layouts,construction of hotels and resorts should be stopped immediately,he argues.
But when it comes to the approval accorded to the 2030 CDP or master plan of Madikeri, irrespective of strong reservations and opposition by the civil society organizations Col Muthanna becomes a sad man.According to the proposed development plan envisaged for the district the population of Madikeri alone will become thrice of what it's now.
He admits:Now itself drinking water supply is done through tankers in Madikeri,Virajpet and Gonikoppalu towns during summer season while drinking water supply is done only for two hours in 48 hours much before the summer season.Likewise waste management problem has become another perennial problem which needs to be addressed at the earliest.
Instead of promoting tourism he proposes that the government should think of regulating tourism and a study needs to be carried out to assess the tourist pressure and the impacts thereupon on the natural resources of the region.A ceiling also needs to be fixed on the number of visitors to the picnic spots.These regulations can be made viable by making it mandatory to book online for visiting any of the tourist spots.
By doing so the overwhelming pressure on the sought after destinations can be curbed to the extent possible and thereby reduce the garbage output.He also claims:This form of ceiling on the visitors is already in practice for the Himalayan glaciers and Gir National park.
There should also be a reasonable price fixed for visiting these spots as the same money is utilized for maintenance and providing security systems to avoid unnecessary tragedies,he strongly feels.
Apart from the tentacles of woes due to unchecked and uninterrupted influx of tourists there seem to be many more tentacles of the octopus endangering the lives and fragile mountain range.The Union government has already given a go ahead for the Mysuru-Madikeri railway line and Makkanduru which should have been the site for Madikeri railway station has disappeared in the recent disaster!
The railway track doesn't ends in Madikeri but stretches to Thalserry in Kerala.If the Mysuru-Madikeri railway track costs 1,800 crores and the estimation at present for the Madikeri-Thalserry line is another 5,000 crores.But interestingly both the BJP MLAs' and the BJP MP never really opposed these new railway projects which were unheard of so far.
As if the new railway projects alone weren't enough there's also a clearance for the 10,000 crore multi lane highway roads.During 2015-16 a 400 KV power transmission line project between Mysuru to Kozhikode was approved.We fought the case for seven years eventually to lose it as the court felt the objections to be too late,exclaimed Col Muthanna.
But look at the possible damage in the event of implementation of the approved projects:Around 60,000 trees need to be felled to pave way for the power transmission line the extent of the same to be chopped off in the case of railway and highway projects could be to the quantum of not less than 3,00,000 trees!
Many in the district are of the realistic opinion that the same money could be divested for the development of the region rather than investing the same for destruction and construction and least botheration about conservation.
Last but not the least the animal-human beings conflict is bound to increase in the event of implementation of the power,railway and highway projects.The forest land has virtually disappeared,thanks to the ever increasing extent of coffee plantations and ratification of such encroachments by the government departments since ages.And now with the remaining green cover depleting on so called developmental projects will further ensure misery on the people of the district!
Comments
Post a Comment