With the national highway winding its way almost parallel to the west coast, the Karnataka government's efforts to promote coastal tourism and set up beach resorts have come to a naught.
The crux of the problem is that while the Supreme Court has banned any construction within 500 m of the high tide line, the highway has been laid well within this area. Thus, a tourism project can come up only on the other side of the road and not on the beach. A tourism department official said, "No private investor is keen to participate unless the project has a direct access to the sea. As it is tourists, particularly foreigners in a beach resort are skimpily clad. Imagine having to cross the highway to reach the sea."
Most beaches in the coastal districts of Uttara Kannada and Dakshina Kannada face this problem. One of the worst hit is the picturesque Maravanthe beach facing the Kodachadri hills on the Mangalore-Karwar highway. What is strange about this spot is that while one side of the road has the salty Arabian sea, the other boasts of the sweet water of river Sauparnika.
Here again, the road is barely a few feet away from the high tide line. "At best we can put up a few kiosks here," sources said. Tourism department officials, however, welcome the apex court's verdict stating it will go a long way in protecting the fragile ecology of the coastal districts. "looking at the brighter side, the roads have prevented our virgin beaches from being vandalised by real estate sharks. But for these roads, Karnataka would have gone the Goa way."
The environment and ecology department is now working out how the tourism potential in the state can be tapped without violating the court order. A survey will be conducted to identity areas where the highway does not run close to the sea so that projects can be permitted if the coast is clear up to the stipulated 500 m. The report of the department will be submitted to the centre before any new project is sanctioned.
Even the projects already underway have run into rough weather. On Malpe beach, a massive structure being put up by the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation has not been completed, even a decade after construction began. "Normally, KTTDC does not take such construction works and it burnt its fingers when it did. Now, the project has been handed over to the private sector". Besides , the hotel resembles a match box structure and does not merge with the local ambience.
Following this experience, the tourism department had decided not to pump in any money into such projects but instead act as a catalyst. "We will provide all help to private investors, identify ideal spots and ensure speedy clearance of projects, but there is no question of financial involvement." Admitting that the tourism potential of the coastal districts was not fully tapped, the official said, "with the government showing no interest in the past, private entrepreneurs too did not come forward. Now the situation has changed."
The department is pinning its hopes on the booming hotel business and feels this will encourage private investors to establish resorts. " A few years ago, the Karnataka State Financial Corporation(KSFC) had stopped granting loans to hotels in Mangalore because they were too many of them, but today all these establishments enjoy 100 per cent occupancy. In fact, there is a dearth of rooms."
With a view to attracting tourists, the department is also proposing to introduce water sports which is yet to catch up in the state. As a first step boating has been introduced in Pannambur. Private entrepreneurs will also be provided training at the National Institute of Aqua Culture, Goa to enable them understand the concept of coastal tourism better.
Courtesy The Times of India June 19
