New Delhi: The Union Government has approved a major tourism project in Lakshadweep as the restrictions to such schemes prevailed in the islands have been lifted now. The government is to lend 15 hectares of land for lease for a period of 75 years for a private company to build resorts in Minicoy Island in Lakshadweep. The Union government claims that the objective is to make eco-friendly resorts.
The company plans to build a total of 150 villas, which are similar to those in the Maldives. Out of these, 110 will be along the shore, and the rest will be running into the sea. An expanse of 8.53 hectares is for shore villas and 6 hectares for water villas, which is home to coral reefs. The company, which won the lease in an auction, plans to build the resort at 319 crores in three years.
The project designed two years ago, approved now by the finance committee of the Finance Ministry, gave many concessions for the lessee. The project, earlier had a condition that a certain percentage of jobs would be reserved for the natives of the islands. The clause related to this has been dropped in the new proposal. The annual increase of 10 per cent in license fees also reduced to 5 per cent.
The project proposal put forward by the Lakshadweep Authority reached the Finance Ministry with the approval of the Home Ministry. This project gives more evidence to the purpose of the recent anti-people friendly reforms in the islands. Already there were allegations that the chasing out of local fishermen from the shores was for private tourism projects.
Experts warn that Lakshadweep will face significant catastrophe if the Maldives model development is implemented, as the scheme approved construction over waters where already depleting coral reefs are locate