Lakshadweep administration to monopolise tourism in islands against natives' interests

Kochi: The Lakshadweep administration has decided to bring monopolies to the islands for the multi-crore-tourism project, declining a report prepared and submitted for the islanders. While the submitted report proposed the project to be run under the islanders' supervision, the administration rejected it.

The project report, submitted in 2019, was under the leadership of the Thinnakkara Tourism Development Association, of which the landowners are members. The plan was to build cottages with five-star facilities by giving shares and land rent to landowners on Thinnakkara Island. The landlords were also given rent in advance for five years. The project, conceived on 21 acres on Thinnakkara Island, which could accommodate 200 rooms for tourism, was planned for 60 roomed cottages, which would provide the guests with facilities designed to enjoy the unique beauty and heritage of the islands.

The project was mapped out by Fareed Khan and Mohammed Khan, natives of the islands. They were the president and treasurer of the project, respectively. The project was in line with the 2016 tourism policy, which did not harm the environment and fully complied with the rules, Sharafuddin Irfani, secretary of the association, told Madhyamam.

According to the association, the administration authorities were of the view that islanders could not carry out such projects, but their behaviour is out of vested interests. Similar associations for tourism development were formed in islands like Bangaram and Parali but were forced to dismantle as their objectives didn't fulfil.

On the one hand, the administration reiterates that the islanders are against development, while on the other, it denies and rejects the latter's outstanding model for tourism development, which satisfies the ecological norms and provide jobs for the natives.

Recently, the union government had 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 lease 15 hectares of land for 75 years for a private company to build resorts in Minicoy Island in Lakshadweep. New norms were formed recently in favour of private parties regarding their tourism projects, such as reduced annual licence fees. Also, the condition of reservation of a certain share of job opportunities to the natives regarding these private projects is removed.