Chennai: Soon, the international and Indian tourists will have world-class tourist destinations on both sides of Indian peninsula as the central government is looking to promote the eco-tourism on uninhabited islands of Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep.
While preserving the eco-system of Andaman, Lakshadweep islands intact, how to develop some of the uninhabited islands into high-end tourist destinations?
National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) in Chennai has come up with resource maps for eight islands marking the sensitive areas for conservation and preservation and areas for various tourist activities including diving, paragliding, snorkelling and fishing by extensive field verification and satellite remote sensing.
The resource maps also have details like ways to provide basic amenities such as drinking water, electricity, healthcare, transport and building the capacity to treat the sewerage water in the islands.
The plan includes building floating solar panels, tourist jetty and helipad at locations where such facilities do not exist at the moment. It also suggested seaplanes as a viable transport option.
“In Lakshadweep islands, the main attraction is crystal clear sea water and coral reefs. So, we have classified the island and surrounding sea and lagoon into various zones. There will be separate areas for diving and snorkelling, live baitfish collection and coral garden,”said professor R.Ramesh, director, National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management, ministry of environment, forest and climate change.
“There will be the cap for the number of tourists visiting the islands and staying there to preserve the ecosystem. In these islands, the use of plastics will be prohibited to control pollution,”he said.
The scientists also earmarked zones for conservation and preservation. “In the conservation zone there will be limited activities while preservation zones will have no activity,”professor Ramesh added.
Lakshadweep consists a total of 36 islands and only 10 are inhabited. Among the uninhabited islands, five are identified for eco-tourism.
Other activities such as paragliding, water sports such as surfing, kayaking can also be accommodated wherever it is suitable.
NCSCM has submitted resource maps for Bangaram, Tinnakara, Suheli and Cheriyam islands. Currently, the scientists are preparing resource maps for the Andaman Islands including Aves, Smith, Long, Neil islands which are identified for eco-tourism.
The NITI Aayog has recently conducted the Investors Meet at Delhi to get the suggestions from various stakeholders.
“Major players in the hospitality industry like ITC have shown interest in the project. It will soon take off after obtaining the necessary approvals from various agencies,”sources said.
The private players selected under this project will have right and authority to construct, operate and maintain the project and provide hospitality for a period of 66 years.
There are totally 1,382 islands in our country. The government first wants to focus on Andaman and Lakshadweep islands to develop them as world-class tourist destinations for
eco-tourism and it may later develop other islands closer to the mainland as well.
