Fearing that its image as a safe ecotourism destination may take a beating following the Gavi incident, the Kerala Forest Department has decided to fast-track the safety audit of its ecotourism centres.
A Gujarati couple was trampled to death by a wild elephant in Gavi on Wednesday. The incident occurred at a time when the department is engaged in the process of safety certification of all its 56 ecotourism centres across Kerala, says K.K. Varghese, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Eco-development and Tribal Welfare).
The project is to carryout safety audit at those centres which together receive 30 lakh tourists annually. Safety first will be the theme of the project.
It will evolve a mechanism to reduce risks and save lives. A multi-agency team will be constituted for the audit and certification, he says. During the first phase, the audit and certification will be carried out in 10 key centres, including Thekkady which receives around 7 lakh visitors a year.
Priority list
The Eravikulam National Park (5 lakh visitors) and Kuruva and Soochippara in Wayanad (4 lakh each) are the other major tourism destinations on the priority list. While the Forest Department is running the operations in 52 centres, the Kerala Forest Development Corporation manages four centres, including Gavi. Annually, 23,000 tourists reach Gavi.
Ecotourism activities earn around Rs.20 crore annually, which goes to the societies of forest-dependent communities. However, safety certification will be a government job, to be implemented by the State machinery, Mr. Varghese says.
Risks ascertained
The department has identified attacks from wild animals and drowning as two important risks faced by tourists at its ecotourism spots. Conflicts with wild animals, especially wild elephants, are identified as the major hazard along the trekking tracks of Thekkady, Gavi, Wayanad, Parambikulam and Neyyar.
Drowning is a potential risk at the popular tourism centres of Malayattoor, Palaruvi, Kallar and Thusharagiri. Evaluation of drowning cases reveals that in 70 per cent cases, the victims had consumed alcohol and it is mostly youth who lost their lives, he says.
The certification will also result in modified tourism guidelines, limiting the number of tourists that could be taken for a programme on a day, installation of signage and first aid measures.
30 lakh visit 56 ecotourism centres a year
Wild animal attacks, drowning major risks
