Appealing to the Tamil Nadu government to immediately withdraw the e-pass system, which is still applicable to hill stations, and accord permission for tourist entry into Kodaikanal, members of the Kodaikanal Hotels and Resorts Owners’ Association have assured the government that they would fully cooperate with the official machinery in containing the COVID-19 pandemic.
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After submitting a memorandum to the District Collector in Dindigul they urged the government to understand their plight and give them relief so that hundreds of workers and entrepreneurs would be able to begin earning again.
Speaking to reporters, association secretary S. Abdul Gani Raja said on Friday that unlike other hill stations, Kodaikanal relied only on tourism, while locations like the Niligris had other industries to support them. There were as many as 15 tourist spots in Kodaikanal. At every spot, volunteers would be deployed who would oversee that physical distancing was adhered to by the visitors. For instance, only 25 vehicles would be permitted at each of the spots at any given point of time. Only after the vehicles moved out, would others be given entry, Mr. Raja added.
There are close to 5,000 workers, who are relying on jobs through hotels, restaurants, resorts and travel agents at the hill station. Already, some 315 hotels/resorts had been under lock and seal as per the directive of the Madras High Court, Madurai Bench for building violations among others, he said and added that a one-time regularisation by the government may help the industry survive.
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To another query, he said that assuming that the government gave its nod to lift the e-pass system in Kodaikanal and permitted tourists here over the next few days, the industry would take at least five years to recover from the losses due to the total shut down since the end of March. Mr. Abdul Gani Raja reiterated that they would fully cooperate with the official machinery.