KOZHIKODE: The Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad (KSSP) has demanded that the work on the Sarovaram tourism project being carried out on a war footing in the Kotooly wetlands in the heart of the city be stalled immediately.

Addressing mediapersons here on Wednesday, Mohanan Manalil, Parishad district president, and K. Radhan, district secretary, alleged that 104 hectares of ecologically fragile land in the city had been handed over to private agencies under the guise of implementing an eco-tourism project. They demanded that the proposed project be re-examined. They said that the priority should be protection of the precious wetlands and not crass commercial considerations. Until these parameters are ensured, the project should be stalled.

They said that once the project materialised, the only wetland in the city would become an entertainment centre for the affluent class. The work involves huge investments. The Parishad feared that the mangroves in the region would be viewed as curio items in the midst of monstrous concrete structures.

Also, the project, which envisages an expected annual profit of Rs.2.25 crore, proposes to have tourist facilities, for which a person would have to shell out as much as Rs.400.

The project is neither people-friendly nor environment-friendly, they said.

What is alarming is that no specific project report has been prepared nor a study conducted on its environment feasibility. What the Tourism Department has in its possession is only a profile of the project. The other details are to be decided by the private agencies that have taken contract of the project. Details of funding are not clear nor have the tenders been called.

They expressed doubts whether the work at the strategic site was taken up with the knowledge of the science-technology institutions concerned and the Corporation authorities. It is also surprising that 104 hectares of prime land has been handed over to Tourism Resorts Kerala Limited. The proposal is to complete the works by Onam.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail