The Joint Action Committee of the All Puducherry Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) Employees’ Unions commenced its indefinite strike from Wednesday in protest against the government’s decision to allow a private player to operate a boat house at Edayarpalayam near here. The State-owned PTDC operates boat houses at Chunnambar and Oussudu in Puducherry and the outlying regions of Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam.
R. Gajapathi, president of PTDC Water Sports Employees Association, said, “Although we had approached the Tourism Minister and Director of Tourism in this regard, they have not taken any action on our memorandum. So we have commenced the indefinite agitation till the government comes out with an announcement withdrawing the approval granted to the private player to operate a boat house,” he said.
‘Arbitrary decision’
C.H. Balamohan, president of the Confederation of Government Employees Association, said: “We oppose the move as the decision was taken arbitrarily without discussing it with us. The Tourism department authorities claim that they have granted in-principle approval, subject to the private player obtaining environmental and other clearances from the Puducherry Pollution Control Committee and the Public Works Department.”
However, the Irrigation wing of the PWD said permission had not been granted to any private player for dredging the river to enable operation of the boat house. The authorities are trying to hush up the issue while the private player had gone ahead and deepened the river. This move has resulted in silt accumulating downstream at the Chunnambar boat house operated by the PTDC. The boat house is scheduled to be inaugurated on April 27.
The Chunnambar boat house is providing a good revenue of more than ₹1 crore a month to the corporation and the government. However, the government was trying to break the monopoly and this revenue was sought to be diverted to a private player. “Where is the need to divert the revenue of the corporation to private players? We will oppose the move till the government withdraws the permission,” he said.
Threat to environment
“Our stand is that no private player should be allowed to use the water bodies in Puducherry for operating boats as there will be scant regard for environment,” he added.
The government had not developed any additional infrastructure at Chunnambar. Tourists visiting the boat house on the weekends have to wait for over two to three hours on the shore. The corporation had raised the fare for boat rides causing dissatisfaction among the tourists.
The JAC claimed that it had raised objection when the government had notified the proposal. An Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) or public hearing was not conducted. The government is keen on privatising the corporation instead of safeguarding it.
