Whats wrong in that, when the Tourism Minister Renuka Choudhury says,
"We will guarantee clean and friendly eco-tourism" .....howver it must be
ensured that a substantial portion of the yield must pass on for the
development of the tribal community.....(may be the natives can be asked to
plan the tourism).....providing them basic facilities such as
hospitals.....(that too if the communities have indicated the demand ).....



Ranjan Vaidya
K 404 Shalimar Township
AB Road Indore
MP 452010
India
Ph: 91-0731-5034334





>From: "Debi Goenka" <debi@...>
>Reply-To: andamanicobar@...
>To: <coastlink@yahoogroups.com>,<andamanicobar@...>
>Subject: [andamanicobar] Super resorts planned in Andaman & Nicobar,
>Lakshadweep
>Date: Sun, 6 Jun 2004 08:23:04 +0530
>
> 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+\
Stories&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
>
>Tel:91-22-25700638 Tfax:91-22-25701459
>
>Cell - +91 98200 86404
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>
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