Tourism department to make Kovalam a garbage-free destination

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A project, planned as part of tourism department's 'Kerala waste free destination' campaign, to make Kovalam a garbage free tourism destination, is awaiting government clearance. Kerala Tourism and Suchitwa Mission have joined hands to provide biogas plants and different composting technologies to all houses in the area at 25% subsidy. 

"We want to make the bio-gas apparatus affordable to the public. The subsidy is likely to be offered by the tourism department, corporation and the Suchitwa Mission. Smaller houses will be provided with pipe-composting," said Suchitwa Mission executive director George Chakacherry.

The departments have developed a package for Kovalam which will incorporate various methods of waste management including vermi, ring and pipe composting. The biggest worry of the mission is to get the hotels to implement the project. "No decision has been taken regarding allocation of subsidy to hotels as they have been mandated to set up waste treatment plants by way of Kerala Municipality (Second Amendment) Ordinance, 2011. The best we can do is to check that the hotels adhere to the law," he said.

A plastic shredder will also be installed on the beach very soon. "There is already a plastic collection scheme in place but it can be strengthened only by deploying more Kudumbasree workers in the area," said tourism secretary Suman Billa.

However, promise of making the destination plastic free, still hangs in limbo. "The ban which came into effect in November last year has made no difference. Tourism minister Anil Kumar and the DTPC have held meetings about making Eve's beach plastic free but nothing has happened so far. The government has to enforce the ban strongly ensuring that an alternative such as water filters, bags made of cloth and jute etc. are available," said Jameela Prakasham, Kovalam MLA.

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-07-23/thiruvananthapuram/32803060_1_tourism-department-kerala-tourism-waste-treatment-plants

'Bekal project termed a flop' - The Hindu

 

The Bekal Special Tourism Area could not achieve its aims after being in implementation for 20 years, the report of a fact-finding mission taken up by various non-governmental organisations (NGOs) has said. The initiative was spearheaded by the Wayanad-based Kabani and the Alappuzha-based Gandhi Smaraka Grama Seva Kendra.

The report, released here recently, pointed out that the intervention of Bekal Resorts Development Corporation Ltd. (BRDC) to develop Bekal as a special tourism area, declared so by the Centre in 1992, had failed in bringing forth any developmental advantage to the region. The situation instead was that ‘those who were responsible to work for the people had displaced hundreds from their homes in the name of development,’ the report said.

The report also pointed out that the mission team came across people who were forced to live in under-developed areas forced upon them by agencies like BRDC, giving up their land, their hereditary possessions, culture, and even traditional occupations. They were also being forced to be at the receiving end of the harmful effects of garbage thrown out by private resorts. This was when most of the promises that were doled out to them, including jobs, still remained on paper.

On the other hand, the so-called development had seen silence on part of the government towards the blatant violation of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) laws and Panchayati Raj laws and umpteen other violations of environmental norms. 

The project had entailed 14 resorts, but there were only six now. The 3,000 resort units that were intended in the project plan had been curtailed to 500 units. To be submitted to the government, the report demanded that the anti-people interventions by the BRDC and the resorts be stopped immediately.

The mission team comprised P.A. Pouran and Mohanan of the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL); Geo Jose of the National Alliance for People’s Movements (NAPM); K.G. Jagadeeshan of the Gandhi Smaraka Grama Seva Kendra; former Joint Director of Fisheries Raveendran Nair; former Additional Director of Fisheries Sanjeev Ghosh; Maglene Peter of the Theeradesha Mahila Vedi; Sumesh Mangalasseri of Kabani; Robin of Keraleeyam; Sudheer of the Kasaragod Environment Council; K.P. Sashi (Visual Search); and researcher Rekha Raj.

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/article3660528.ece

Waste management at tourism centres

Minister for Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes and Tourism A.P. Anil Kumar told the Assembly on Thursday that the Tourism Department would take steps to keep tourism centres clean.

Replying to the debate on the demands for grants for the welfare of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other Backward Classes and Tourism, the Minister said decentralised waste management would be introduced at tourism centres such as Kovalam and Kumarakom.

Mr. Anil Kumar said seaplane services would soon be introduced in the State. The Kerala Tourism Development Corporation would operate a tourist coach attached to Island Express. Elevizhapoonchira in Kollam would be developed as an international tourism destination. “Take a break” rest houses would be set up at Santhigiri, near Thiruvananthapuram.

The Minister said funding would not be a problem for the medical college to be set up by his department. It would make higher number of seats available to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes compared to what is available in other self-financing colleges.

A sum of Rs.20,000 would be provided to the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students for coaching for entrance examinations.

He noted that the government had already raised the stipend for the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students to Rs.750. This would be increased to Rs.1,000 for high school students from next year. Education loans for them had been enhanced to Rs.3 lakh.

The Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe women would be given Rs.1,000 a month during pregnancy and after child birth for six months. 

http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/kerala/article3607065.ece

Tourist arrivals in Kerala cross 1-cr mark in 2011

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, MAY 16:  Over one crore tourists are estimated to have visited Kerala during 2011, according to the Tourism Minister, Mr A. P. Anil Kumar.  Revenue earnings recorded by the sector during the period stood at Rs 19,037 crore, the Minister said in an update of the Government’s performance in its first year in office. 

Of the inbound tourists, 7.3 lakh were foreign and the rest (93.7 lakh) domestic, the Minister told newspersons here. This represented a year-on-year rise of 73,720 in the number of foreign tourists and as much as 7.86 lakh in domestic tourists. The foreign exchange earnings have gone up from Rs 3,797.37 crore in 2010 to Rs 4,221.99 crore in 2011, the Minister said. 

The Department of Tourism achieved 94.5 per cent utilisation of the annual plan funds during the period under reference. This was the best performance in at least the last 20 years, the Minister claimed. 

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/economy/article3424776.ece?homepage=true&ref=wl_home

vinson.kurian@thehindu.co.in

Bekal to emerge as focus of Malabar tourism

A best-kept secret of Kerala for long, the heritage-rich coastal town of Bekal in Kasaragod has embarked on a course to woo tourists with the state government launching plans to tap the huge tourism potential of the region. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who last week inaugurated the "know Bekal" campaign in Kasaragod District, has pledged to put the six districts of Malabar on the forefront of Kerala’s tourism growth. 

The plans include making Bekal the second biggest backwater tourism hotspot after Alappuzha, building an airstrip and revamping the rail station to improve connectivity and creating facilities for adventure activities including water sports and aero sports. Besides, it was planned to speed up infrastructure projects like the Kannur international airport and expansion of the Kozhikode airport.

According to Tourism department officials, Bekal has the advantage of being able to support three of the most promising sectors for the Kerala economy – tourism, coastal transport and national waterways. While doing this, great care would be taken to ensure that the pristine environment around that area would not be harmed and bring much of the benefits of tourism to the local community based on the concept of Responsible Tourism, state Tourism Minister A P Anil Kumar said.

"As a destination Bekal is largely unexplored and pristine. We are in a position to employ best tourism practices and, socially and ecologically sustainable means while charting its future growth," he said. Bekal Resorts Development Corporation Ltd (BRDC), tasked with the implementation of the project, has acquired and developed more than 230 acres of land for setting up resorts.

Two resorts have already been commissioned and beach camping facility developed by Kerala Tourism Development Corporation is nearing completion at Bekal Beach Park. A cultural centre, a bio-organic farm and a tourism incubation centre in the area are also on the anvil. There are plans to connect Bekal to Kerala's other destinations through sea plane service. Kerala’s Tourism Department is targeting an increase in tourist inflows to Bekal from 3.2 lakhs at present to six lakhs by 2015. 

http://www.business-standard.com/generalnews/news/bekal-to-emerge-as-focusmalabar-tourism/8469/

New projects to revitalise tourism

The Ernakulam District Tourism Promotion Council is all set to kick-start work on three projects worth over Rs.5.50 crore.The first is to revitalise the ‘Triveni Sangamam' project in Muvattupuzha, which is expected to cost Rs.2.47 crore in the first phase. The main components are 500-m-long walkways on either side of the river, retaining walls to reinforce the banks and the construction of a view point on the shore. 

Expected in phase two is a second walkway, a pedestrian bridge (a hanging bridge) linking either side of the river and a track that would link the walkway with the park maintained by the municipality. This would provide a total of 1 km of walkway. The beautification of Panampilly Nagar mooted a few months ago is all set to get a boost with Benny Behanan, MLA, taking it up with Kerala Tourism's working group.

Model street

“Here, landscaped walkways would be constructed in between the main and service road of the residential colony, on either side. Our aim is to make it a model street since most people do not have an idea of how to optimally use space to green up the precincts. Canopy trees, lights and benches too are included in the project,” said T.N. Jayasankar, the DTPC secretary. 

The Rs.1.17 crore project would cover the stretch from Manorama Junction to Passport Office Junction. Residents' associations are expected to pool in with help in maintaining the walkway.

The council's third project is the development of Kurisumala in Elanji panchayat, located in the Ernakulam-Kottayam border. “Our plan is to initiate schemes to develop the pilgrim centre into a hill station. An amount of Rs.2 crore would be set apart for phase one of development works. This includes road accessibility and construction of a view point,” Mr. Jayasankar said. The initiative came from Jose K Mani, MP.

Better salaries

Aimed at making the agency the first ISO-certified DTPC in Kerala, steps were taken to augment the income from food kiosks and other amenities leased out to private parties. This would be used to pay better salaries and productivity-linked incentives to employees. A uniform is on the anvil for all of them. “The DTPC could ensure the beginning of projects worth Rs.8 crore during the past 8 months, by prompt follow-up of projects,” Mr Jayasankar said.

The agency's ongoing projects include the renovation of the Durbar Hall Ground and augmenting of amenities like tourist help desk, kiosks, parking area and toilets at Kuzhipilly Beach.

Pilgrim centre

A three-storied pilgrim centre would be built at Chottanikkara for Rs.72 lakh, aimed at providing dormitories for pilgrims who visit the temple town and those on the way to Sabarimala. 

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Kochi/article3334996.ece

Licence Delay: Slow death for Homestays

KOCHI: Even as tourists are taking to homestays in a big way, preferring to enjoy the beauty of Kochi from the comforts of a home rather than the luxuries of a star hotel, delays in licensing procedures are forcing entrepreneurs to shut shop.

According to Kerala State Homestay and Tourism Association (Kerala HATS), a consortium of homestay providers and tourism promoters, 50 per cent of homestay entrepreneurs in the state’s commercial hub are now abandoning the business owing to the delay in getting the licences renewed.

“The licence for running homestays has to be renewed every two years. The prolonged delay, often up to six months, in renewing the licence has prompted many entrepreneurs to withdraw from running homestays,” said M P Sivadathan, Kerala HATS director. He pointed out that a high number of homestays were unauthorised.“As per the statistics available with Kerala HATS, the number of authorised and classified homestays in Kochi is just 65 while the number of unauthorised ones runs to more than 300. Though the renewal is just 50 per cent, the number of homestays remains constant as new entrepreneurs come in,” he said.

Besides, the government has not accepted the long-pending demands of entrepreneurs to exclude homestays from 7A tariff (commercial power connection) and 0.5 per cent luxury tax.
However, the District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) secretary T N Jayashankar said that there were justifiable reasons for the delay in renewing licences. “It’s a fact that there is a delay. But there have been no incidents of an entrepreneur withdrawing from business just because of this. Ernakulam DTPC forwarded 40 renewal applications to Thiruvananthapuram this year,” he said.

“Licence renewal is a long process as it is issued after inspection by various agencies. Such inspections cannot be compromised as any relaxation in the inspection procedure may adversely affect quality. However, it would be better if the government constitutes a committee to expedite the renewal process,” Jayasankar said.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/licence-delay-slow-death-for-homestays/248636-60-122.html