The Hindu : Kerala News : Circuit tourism linking pilgrim centres planned

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 16, 2005

Kerala

Kerala

Circuit tourism linking pilgrim centres planned

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, MARCH 15. The Government proposes to link the pilgrim centres in the State under a circuit tourism project, the Tourism Minister, K. C. Venugopal, told the Assembly today.

Replying to questions, he said talks would be held with the Transport Minister to network the pilgrim centres through KSRTC services. Bekal would be included in the circuit tourism project. The sacred groves in Malabar would be developed under a separate scheme.

The renovation of temples was being carried out by the Archaeology Department and their traditional architecture would be preserved. Temples suffering from lack of revenue would also be developed. The Tourism Department was ready to set up a complex at Sabarimala if land was made available.

Fears allayed

The Minister allayed members' fears that the pilgrim centres were being developed as tourist destinations. The Tourism Department was only trying to improve the infrastructure and transport facilities in these centres for the benefit of pilgrims. The temple committees should provide the required land as land acquisition was a major hurdle in developing facilities.

Temple thefts were on the rise because many temples did not have the money to post watchmen. The Government had cleared a scheme for appointing watchmen in such temples, the Minister said.

Pepper imports

The Agriculture Minister, K. R. Gouri, said the duty-free import of pepper from Sri Lanka hit the State badly. The Government had urged the Centre to insist on certificates of origin for imports of pepper from Sri Lanka, and to test the pepper to determine geographical identity. The imports should only be made through the Kochi port.

Pepper was being dumped into the State under the guise of imports from Sri Lanka under a SAARC agreement, it was feared. The sharp rise shown in the pepper production in Sri Lanka from 4,740 tonnes in 1999 to 12,600 tonnes in 2002, was suspicious, the Minister said.

The Government had sought Central subsidy for replanting diseased pepper vines. The State's request for interest cuts on agricultural loans was yet to be conceded, Ms. Gouri said.

Adulteration

The Food and Civil Supplies Minister, Adoor Prakash, said the adulteration of food items was on the decrease. Out of 11,731 samples tested in 2002-'03, as many as 407 were found to be adulterated. Out of 15,185 samples tested in 2003-'04, the tainted items came down to 394. Out of 13,624 samples tested up to January, 118 were found to be adulterated, he said.

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