Environmental organisations have urged the government to issue electronic passes (e-passes) and impose entry fee on tourist vehicles to Wayanad to curb the unrestricted inflow of tourist vehicles to the biodiversity hotspot.
In a letter to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, N. Badusha, president of the Wayanad Prakruthi Samrakshana Samithi, said the inflow of tourist vehicles from other districts had increased considerably, and it adversely affects normal life as well as the biodiversity of the district. An expert committee should be constituted to make an impact assessment to reveal the gravity of the situation, he added.
The Tamil Nadu government had been issuing e-passes for visitors to the hill stations of Ooty and Kodaikanal on the orders of the Madras High Court to curb the inflow, Mr. Badusha said, adding that similar regulations were the need of the hour in Wayanad.
“Unrestricted inflow of tourists will accelerate man-animal conflict in the district, besides adversely affecting tranquil life of tribespeople since many private resorts had been set up on the fringes of the forest. The spine of the economy of the district is the agriculture sector, as close to 85% of people depend on it. Moreover, 95% of the GDP was contributed by the sector,” he said.
Since 99% of tourism properties were owned by those from other districts, they could provide job opportunities to less than 2% of the local population, he said, adding that a majority of government funds were being utilised to promote tourism.
