A high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan here on Wednesday decided to make elaborate arrangements to host tourists flocking to Munnar to view the Neelakurinji flowers scheduled to bloom next year.
The Government expects 800,000 tourists to visit the hill station during the blooming season from July to October 2018. The Neelakurinji has a 12-year flowering cycle.
The meeting decided to make arrangements and precautions while accommodating the huge turnout at Neelakurinji hotspots, particularly the Eravikulam National Park.
Mr. Vijayan stressed the need for a comprehensive survey to assess the holding capacity of Munnar before coming up with control measures. Vehicles would be regulated and provided with adequate parking space.
Plastic bottles and carry bags would be banned and action would be taken against resorts without waste management systems.
Cleaning workers would be pressed into service and toilets would be provided for tourists. Roads leading to the tourist destinations would be repaired in time and medical care and emergency facilities put in place.
NATPAC would be entrusted with a study that would form the basis of traffic regulations. More buses would be provided to transport tourists to the Eravikulam Park, with tickets available online.
It was decided to set up coordination committees at the State and District level.
Ministers K. Raju, K.T. Jaleel and Kadakampally Surendran and senior officials participated.
