Other States - Puducherry   

Adequate security being provided to tourists: Ambika Soni

— Photo: T. Singaravelou

Union Minister Ambika Soni making a point at a press conference in Puducherry on Wednesday.

PUDUCHERRY: Union Minister for Tourism and Culture Ambika Soni on Wednesday said that terrorist activities in certain parts of the country had a temporary impact on the tourist inflow from abroad, even as the government took steps to project India as a tourist destination for all 365 days in a year.

She told reporters here that occurrences such as blasts in Jaipur and Mumbai had a “temporary effect on people who were travelling.”

However, the Ministry of Tourism had around 14 offices abroad, besides having a strong website, which were constantly updated to ensure that there was enough security for people to travel, she said. She also described the alert issued by the Australian government a couple of days ago asking its citizens not to travel to four or five districts of Rajasthan in view of the ongoing agitation there, as a “warning for a temporary period.”

Ms.Soni said the Tourism and Shipping Ministries had put a note before the Union Cabinet to evolve a national cruise policy and once the proposal was cleared, more places including Puducherry just as Goa, Kochi, Visakhapatnam and Mumbai would become cruise destinations for the shipping companies.

Asked if pollution caused by rapid industrialisation and urbanisation had come in the way of promoting eco-tourism, she said this was the topic the whole world was discussing now with a focus on climate change and ecological balance.

The Union government was extremely sensitive to these issues, she said. But no uniform policy could be adopted in this regard, as those countries which contributed more to global warming and pollution should have to impose maximum restrictions, she opined. India made its position on the issue clear at the United Nations World Tourism Organisation’s meet last year, she recalled.

Even while promoting rural tourism in 125 villages from Nagaland to Puducherry, besides encouraging adventure sports and cruise as part of eco-tourism activities, the tourists had to sign an affidavit with stringent provisions that the beaches would not be polluted, she said. The safety of the environment of villages should be kept in mind while promoting industrialisation, she added.

To make tourism a sustainable endeavour, local population had to become stakeholders, she said, adding that this had been the thrust point while implementing the “bed and breakfast” scheme, rural tourism and “earn while you learn” scheme through which students of universities were provided 21-day training to become amateur guides.

As many as 30,000 such guides were required for the Commonwealth Games slated for 2010, she said, insisting on signing of Memoranda of Understanding with five star hotels to create a guides’ bank.

Asked about the delay in passing the Women’s Reservation Bill, Ms.Soni said: “Such momentous, path-breaking and radical initiatives would have to overcome obstacles.” She was confident that the standing committee would incorporate the views of those who opposed it, and that 50 per cent of the population getting at least 33 per cent reservation was not a distant future.

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

Stories in this Section

Vikram Sarabhai award for varsity professor
Forty artists showcase their works
Indian Coffee House is not incurring losses, say workers
District branch staff meeting conducted
Schools to re-open on June 9
CPI stages demo
Separate directorate for primary schools sought
Adequate security being provided to tourists: Ambika Soni

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu