Closing of Sambranikodi island, a main tourist destination in Kollam district, has hit the livelihood of several tour operators, boat drivers and small businesses in the area.
As per the reports of the District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC), nearly 5,000 people a day used to visit the island, a platform created by dredged sand on Ashtamudi Lake, on holidays.
“The island was closed around three weeks ago and nearly 150 families are in dire straits due to this. This order was issued by misleading the District Collector that the island would go down. One can walk through the shallow water from Sambranikodi to the Dalavapuram bridge, which is 6 km long, and this area is stronger than a concrete floor. This is a deliberate attempt to destroy the tourism boom at Sambranikodi,” says Melvin, a boat driver.
