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Kerala Passes Tourism Conservation Act
Mahesh Tharani - Mumbai
This is a first of its kind Act in India. To start with,
we would regulate development in four designated Special Tourism Zones - Kumarakom,Munnar,
Fort Cochin and Kovalam
In a bid to regulate and facilitate tourism development in
the state, the Kerala state Assembly recently passed the Kerala Tourism (Conservation
and Preservation of Areas) Act, 2005.
The Act provides for the constitution of a tourism conservation and preservation
committee, which would prepare a sustainable Tourism Development Plan including
guidelines to regulate developmental activities in the Special Tourism Zone;
implement or co-ordinate the implementation of the Tourism Development Plan;
enforce the guidelines issued in respect of the development of Special Tourism
Zones; ensure proper and systematic programming by rendering appropriate advice
to local authorities in regard to formulation of projects and determination
of priorities in accordance with the Tourism Development Plan; direct the concerned
local authority for taking action against any unauthorised construction, land
development, encroachment and other such activities inconsistent with or in
violation of the Tourism Development Plan; monitor the guidelines prepared by
the committee, etc.
Said B Suman, director, Kerala Tourism, said, "This
is a first of its kind Act in India. To start with, we would regulate development
in four designated Special Tourism Zones - Kumarakom, Munnar, Fort Cochin and
Kovalam. The act lays guidelines for construction and development of tourism
infrastructure. The new rules framed by the committee are expected to protect
these four zones by keeping the Floor Space Index (FSI) level from 1.25 to 1.5.
In the Kumarakom area we would not let a building be built higher than a coconut
tree. We aim at preserving the landscape from crass commercialisation."
Suman added, "With huge investments set to make an influx into the state,
vandalisation of the state’s scenic and architectural beauty is a potential
threat. We do not want greed to mar controlled development." The Act will
propagate a land use pattern where designated areas will be allotted for hospitality,
parks and other infrastructure development. Suman said, "We will have a
certain amount of land allotted for companies to build hotels and once the area
is covered no more hotel development would be allowed." The other important
aspect of the Act is the facilitation aspect where the water supply and garbage
disposal departments would be directed as per the requirements of the tourism
department. The Act lends statutory powers to Kerala Tourism and brings into
its ambit all other acts. The committee intends on developing the northern part
of Kerala, especially the Malabar region in Kerala at a later stage. "Wayanad,
Calicut and Bekal will be the next three destinations which will come under
our focus for tourism development," Suman said.
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