Can someone please inform us which 5 sites are up for sale by the end of
this year?
And provide other details, such as for how long they will be leased, for how
much money, who will get this money, what the environmental safeguards will
be, how the water, sewage and other problems will be dealt with, etc. etc.?
How does anyone expect the administration to control and implement any
environmental safeguards, given that it currently tolerates construction
within the coastal regulation zone and has been completely ineffective in
safeguarding the Jarawa forest? How will it prevent Jarawa tourism, or is
that an implicit aspect of the package?
Madhusree

> Topics in this digest:
>
> 1. A&N Opens 15 islands to bidders to set up environmentally
> sensitive hotels
> From: Pankaj <pankaj@...>
>
>
> ________________________________________________________________________
> ________________________________________________________________________
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Fri, 09 Jun 2006 17:50:07 +0530
> From: Pankaj <pankaj@...>
> Subject: A&N Opens 15 islands to bidders to set up environmentally
> sensitive hotels
>
> Andaman & Nicobar rides the eco wave
>
> Opens 15 islands to bidders to set up environmentally sensitive hotels
>
> http://www.expresshospitality.com/20060615/market01.shtml
>
> Preeti Kannan - Chennai
>
> In an endeavour to retain the pristine charm of its eco-heritage, the
> Andaman & Nicobar Islands is to open up 15 islands for the development of
> environmentally sensitive hotels and beach resorts. By the year-end,
> tenders will be invited for five islands, while by 2008 the remaining 10
> islands will be open to bidders.
>
> Speaking exclusively to Express Hospitality, Dharam Pal, tourism
> commissioner and secretary, ministry of tourism, said, "We have selected
> 50 sites on the 15 islands, and our strong focus is to set up eco-friendly
> hotels and resorts in the high-end category instead of budget hotels."
>
> In the first phase, the government would introduce tenders from both the
> Indian and international hospitality players keen in developing hotels and
> resorts in Andaman & Nicobar, following which investors would put in their
> related proposals. In the second phase, the investors would revert back to
> the department with its projects, which would then be approved by the
> government for investment and development. The islands open to the bidders
> are Neil, Havelock, Little Andaman, North Passage, Peel, Aves Island,
> Rutland, Baratang, Cinque, Interview, Long Island, Middle Andaman, North
> Andaman, Smith and Ross Island and South Andaman.
>
> Further deliberating on the new development, Pal, said that the government
> is keen on implementing the Green Globe standards - a global benchmarking,
> certification and improvement system for environmentally sensitive
> projects in all hotel projects in the selected islands.