The Hindu : Kerala News : Eco-tourism takes its toll

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Monday, Nov 06, 2006
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Kerala

Kerala

Eco-tourism takes its toll

Roy Mathew

Unbridled development destroying pristine surroundings

AT THE RECEIVING END: Pookot lake in Wayanad district.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Eco-tourism is taking its toll on the forests and landscapes of the State.

In a few cases, the Forest Department itself has undertaken construction and other activities that destroyed the forest wealth.

One of the earliest eco-tourism projects to be taken up in the State was at Pookot in Wayanad district.

Concrete steps and buildings were constructed on one side of the lake to facilitate boating and provide amenities to tourists.

A road was developed around the lake close to the banks. The forests on the banks were cut for this. As the road was close to the banks, what was actually lost was vegetation specific to waterfronts. Now, trees on the banks are falling on account of soil erosion.

Unbridled development is gradually destroying the pristine surroundings of Munnar also. Buildings are being constructed even on slopes with gradients of more than 60 per cent.

Natural formations are being altered making the terrain unstable. (What Malayalis call as `mottakkunnu' (convex hills) is a naturally stable formation evolved over hundreds of years. Removal of earth from such formations makes them unstable.

They also lose their beauty). Though Munnar is the confluence of three streams, it might not be surprising if the town faces water scarcity in the near future.

Its natural streams are likely to be polluted heavily. The town needs careful planning urgently.

Ponmudi in Thiruvananthapuram district had been developed as a hill resort even before the concept of eco-tourism came.

Now there are plans for a bigger project in the upper sanatorium area. However, these areas had already been rendered barren, and the natural sholas are receding. The tea gardens, which were one of the attractions at Ponmudi, are also declining.

It would not be long before Ponmudi loses its scenic surroundings.

Perhaps, the Government can step in to take over the tea estates and convert them into forests. Assistance from agencies such as the United Nations could be obtained for this.

Down below, in the Kallar valley, the Forest Department has spent large sums for development of eco-tourism. While the tree huts and other facilities developed by it earlier have fallen into disuse, the department constructed a new road and additional facilities recently.

The undergrowth of forests was cleared as part of `development' and the main objective of the exercise seemed to be the expending of budgeted funds.

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