DEAR ALL,
THE SUPPORT OF THIS PLAN BY NEW GOVERNMENT,
ESPECIALLY THE OVERENTHUSIASM BY THE MINISTER FOR
TOURISM, RENUKA CHAUDHARI, SHOWS THAT ALL GOVERNMENTS
ARE THE SAME WHEN THERE IS A QUESTION OF ECONOMY
OVER ECOLOGY !
OMESH BHARTI




--- Debi Goenka <debi@...> wrote:
> Super resorts planned in Andaman & Nicobar,
> Lakshadweep
> Sunday June 6 2004 00:47 IST
> NEW DELHI: In this season of cautious
> liberalisation, comes a proposal from the Tourism
> Ministry to throw open the mysterious and restricted
> Andaman and Nicobar Islands archipelago on the east
> cost and the coral lagoons of Lakshadweep Islands on
> the west coast to private operators_to build super
> resorts and luxurious hotels for the global, ritzy,
> ultra-luxe traveller.
>
> The Tourism Ministry has enhanced private
> investment limits from Rs 5 crore to Rs 100 crore
> for the development of each project. The ministry is
> ready with its exhaustive proposal and will soon
> send a note to the Cabinet for approval.
>
> The Andamans have been on the seafarer's list
> of wonders from time immemorial_its 300 tropical
> islands was briefly noted by Marco Polo and
> adventurous Arabs, but most of the islands were
> closed for entry for security and conservation
> reasons. However, the few islands open for tourists
> have drawn anglers and surfers from all over the
> world, to ride its gigantic waves and fish for Blue
> Merlin and Dogtooth Tuna outside the restricted
> zones.
>
> The Tourism Ministry's proposal has already
> got clearances from the Ministry of Defence and the
> Home Ministry to de-regularise the restricted zones
> and allow free flow of passage and trade. The
> ministry has identified 10 islands in the Andamans
> like Havelock and North Passage, and 13 islands in
> Lakshadweep including Amini, to develop resorts with
> full private participation. Says a ministry source,
> ``The focus is to attract investments and develop
> the islands with full environmental safeguards.''
>
> Tourism Minister Renuka Choudhury is
> enthusiastic when she says, ``We will guarantee
> clean and friendly eco-tourism, I will make it 300
> per cent sure it works that way. We will be
> extremely cautious about maintaining and securing
> eco-systems of the islands and will open up in a
> limited way, for the exclusive holiday-maker. In
> fact, the environment and ecological assessments
> have already been made. We are taking every
> precaution and will work individually with each
> project as no one size fits all.''
>
> The Malayalam-speaking Lakshadweep Islands,
> off the Cochin coast in the Arabian Sea, is a
> beach-comber's delight with its coral reefs and
> atolls. There are already limited sport-recreational
> activities on some islands where you can sail and
> dive, but by opening up the selected islands for
> tourism promotion, the Lakshadweep archipelego is
> all set to leap onto the map of luxe lifestyle and
> holidaying.
>
> The Tourism Ministry has already set up an
> empowered committee to look into the Island
> Development Plan, with the Tourism Secretary as
> chairperson of the committee. Other members include
> representatives from the Environment Ministry,
> Defence, Home, all of whom will lay down the
> guidelines for the development of the resorts.
>
> The committee will seek all the necessary
> approvals; invite bids for private participation;
> evaluate and shortlist the bids; also invest,
> monitor and co-ordinate the development of the
> projects.
>
> On the sticky issue of permits for entry, a
> Tourism Ministry official says, ``We have asked the
> Home Ministry to waive permits and remove
> restrictions to those coming on business for at
> least three years, so that they have uninterrupted
> access to begin with.''
>
> Ministry officials are hopeful that foreign
> investment will begin to flow once the Cabinet
> approves of the proposal. ``People are seeking more
> and more unique places and destinations, but we are
> building resorts not for the bagpacker but for the
> discerning tourist willing to pay for exclusivity,''
> says a source.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEH20040605142646&Page=H&Title=Top+S\
tories&Topic=0&
>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------\
-------------------------
> Debi Goenka
> Bombay Environmental Action Group
>
> e-mail: debi@...
>
> (Please note that debi@... will be
> discontinued shortly)
>
> Environmental Education Office
>
>
> Kalbadevi Municipal School
>
> # 54, 2nd floor, Mumbai 400002
>
>
> Tel:91-22-22423126 Tfax:91-22-22426385
>
>
> Residence
>
> B 502 Glengate, Hiran Gardens
> Powai Mumbai 400076
>
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>
> Cell - +91 98200 86404
>
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