Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Sunday countered insinuations that he had gone on a pleasure trip to Ponmudi hill resort allegedly giving the lie to his advice that people should avoid unnecessary travel to stop the seemingly relentless march of COVID-19 infection.
Television news channels suggested that Mr Khan had set a wrong example by visiting Ponmudi, which the government had declared off-limits for visitors to prevent tourists from overcrowding the destination on weekends.
In an oblique criticism of the news reports, Mr Khan made three back-to-back tweets about his activities at the hill resort.
Mr. Khan said he had met Forest Officer K. I. Pradeep Kumar and Range Officer, Palode.
He asked them about the “welfare measures for people of the tribal settlement.”.
He also discussed the steps taken to insulate forest dwellers from outbreaks and other diseases.
It appeared that Mr Khan had a busy workday in Ponmudi.
Mr Khan and his wife, Reshma Arif, interacted with guides and guards tasked to maintain and protect the ecotourism site.
He peppered them with questions which focussed on how ecotourism initiatives benefited the forest tribes. He and Ms Arif shopped at the Vanasree counter, which specialises in forest products.
Mr Khan was also curious about the waste management system at Ponmudi.
He also tweeted pictures of his activities at the holiday destination.
Famous spats
Mr Khan is a magnet for media attention given his famous spats with the government over several issues, including the State’s response to the passage of the citizenship law.
Unlike his predecessors, Mr. Khan interacts freely with the media and the public.
