Protest in Kodaikanal over ban on entry of tourists

Madurai

Various stakeholders of the tourism industry on Monday staged a protest in Moonjikal in Kodaikanal against the State government’s decision to ban tourists to the hill station. The members of various associations urged the government to lift the ban on tourists.

With the increase in the number of cases, the State government imposed the ban on the entry of tourists to hill stations like Yercaud, Kodaikanal and Udhagamandalam in order to contain the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

The members of the hotel owners, traders and other associations of Kodaikanal said that the people of the hill station were dependent on tourism. The months of April and May were the peak months for tourism in Kodaikanal, they said.

The Hotel Owners Association said that the stakeholders of the tourism industry had already suffered due to the COVID-19 lockdown that was imposed last year to contain the spread of the pandemic. The members were financially hit as a result of the tourism ban, they said.

Tourism was the main source of income for the people of Kodaikanal. If the tourists are not allowed to visit the hill station, it will further weaken the already financially hit people of the hill station, said S. Abdul Gani Raja of Kodaikanal Hotels and Resort Owners Association.

All mandatory safety precautions will be followed by the members and all stakeholders. Face masks and sanitisers will be used and physical distancing will be maintained in Kodaikanal as per the mandatory measures, said S.N.S Raja Mohammed of the Traders Association.

The members demanded that the government consider their plight and lift the ban on the entry of tourists to the hill station. The protesters decided to temporarily call off the protest after the Revenue Divisional Officer met them and agreed to take up the issue with higher officials.