From liyakhat@EQUITABLETOURISM.ORG Sun Jun 15 14:10:37 2003
Date: Wed, 11 Jun 2003 17:20:30 +0530
From: "Syed Liyakhat, EQUATIONS" 
To: nathistory-india@Princeton.EDU
Subject: AP unveils plans to tap eco-tourism

    [ The following text is in the "iso-8859-1" character set. ]
    [ Your display is set for the "US-ASCII" character set.  ]
    [ Some characters may be displayed incorrectly. ]

AP unveils plans to tap eco-tourism
K.V. Kurmanath
HYDERABAD, June 10
Business Line, Bangalore 11 June 2003
WITH the 'threshold' year of 2002-03 giving encouraging results in the field
of eco-tourism, the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC)
has decided to tap several areas along the Eastern Ghats, Nallamala forest
area and the vast Konaseema stretches that have "tremendous potential for
eco-tourism", in the current fiscal.
The corporation has set a revenue target of Rs 2.26 crore (Rs. 22.6 million)
for the current fiscal as against Rs 1.75 crore (Rs. 17.5 million) in
2002-03.
"This is a conservative estimate," Mr T.V.N. Rao, Executive Director
(Eco-Tourism), APTDC, told Business Line.
"Last year, we targeted to clock a turnover of Rs 1.16 crore (Rs. 11.6
million) but far exceeded the target. The year before, the turnover was just
Rs 63.51 lakh (Rs. 6 million 351 thousand)," he said, adding that the
segment would prove to be a major growth engine for the tourism industry in
the State.
The department has lined up a series of projects, which include Bhavani
islands in Vijayawada, Suryalanka beach near Guntur and Konaseema village
resorts, which will have houseboats, to achieve the target.
"We are taking up a project to develop the 130-acre Bhavani islands, dotting
the Krishna river in Vijayawada. A 24-room eco-tourism resort will be
constructed on the island," Mr. Rao said. "It is unique because it's coming
up inside a big city."
The Suryalanka beach will have facilities for several beach sports and
rides. Besides, we have acquired an R&B guesthouse at Anantagiri near Araku
which will be converted into a wayside amenities facility with colonial
architecture and landscaping features," Mr Rao said.
Yet another project slated to be completed this year is Orvakallu, near
Kurnool, famous for its quartzite rock formations.
The corporation recently acquired the under private-cum-public partnership.
After getting "good response" for its Durgam Cheruvu project, APTDC has
acquired.
Further diversifying the eco-tourism segment, APTDC has taken up Raymond
Tombs, which date back to 1790, for conversion.

EQUATIONS ADDS:
The superfluous use of ecotourism has been reflected in the plans that have
been proposed by the APTDC. We can only wonder at the casual approaches that
tourism departments in our country take on tourism development, throwing
environmental and social concerns to the winds.
Many ecosystems of Andhra Pradesh have been targeted by APTDC for tourism
development; Eastern Ghats and forest stretches, islands and beaches,
plateau, hill and lake. Even geological formations and archaeological sites
are being included for ecotourism activities.
The tourism development plans being proposed are far away from what the
Govt. of Andhra Pradesh has stated in its policy document 'Tourism to 2020:
a major engine for growth', which was jointly prepared with the World
Tourism Organisation. It says "Tourism development must be ecologically and
socio-culturally sensitive if it is to provide substantial benefits over the
longer term.[pp 24]" and further states that "Tourism can provide the means
for people's participation in the development process through community
based programmes and developing self-reliance through entrepreneurial
activity in tourism and associated economic activities" [pp 24]. It goes on
to say that the Strategy is to "Create tourism development which is: low
impact and non-degrading to the environment; reflects Andhra Pradesh's sense
of place; preserves its inviting and scenic quality; and provides economic
opportunities for indigenous communities while not breaking down traditional
social structures and systems, and cultures." [pp 30]
In the proposed plans for eco-tourism that reflect a departure from its
Policy, the APTDC seem to have overlooked the kind of harmful impacts a
24-room "ecotourism" resort would have on a sensitive location like an
island, or a hill; effects of water sports on coastal ecology, especially
coral reefs; the amount of environmental degradation that results in
creating a "wilderness landscape". All this at a huge cost of the
environment, and of course for recognition and awards.
People? Well, the government is doing its best to bring in money for the
people, and itself. And why not, when the World Bank is pumping in money to
conduct 'field tests' in AP, the cost of which will have to be borne by the
people at a price and interest. Does the government even think about all
those people on the roads of Hyderabad, begging at every traffic signal? My
personal observation is that there are far more people on the roads of
Hyderabad than in any other city in India. For all we know, these people may
be 'tribals' who were displaced from forest areas and their lands taken away
for developmental projects.
Tourism continues to operate in an unregulated fashion everywhere. It goes
hindered in forests and coastal areas where other activities are otherwise
regulated by forest laws and CRZ Notifications respectively. EIA is a tool
anybody can use to suit their own ends. Rights of Panchayats vis-à-vis
tourism development are stuck on paper and don't seem to make sense to
anyone.
Talking about conservation and community participation and benefits in
ecotourism is a far, far cry in such a socio-political setup.


Liyakhat
EQUATIONS
23/25, 8th Cross
Vignan Nagar
New Thippasandra Post
Bangalore - 560 075
Tel: +91.80.5244988 xtn 37
Fax: +91.80.5244988 xtn 41
e-mail: liyakhat@equitabletourism.org
URL: www.equitabletourism.org