The issue of illegal reclamation of backwaters and Pokkali fields at Kumbalangi village in Kerala was taken up by Equations. The Local Body had given the green signal for the construction of 56 cottages perched on pillars set in water bodies. The construction of the resorts was taken up by Poppys Inn Private Limited. Earlier this year, Equations had pointed out in a letter to Chief Minister that huge areas of the water body were being reclaimed for promotion of tourism in Kumbalangi. The Government order issued in this regard is attached.

The Kerala Swatantra Matsya Thozhilali Federation (KSMTF) has expressed concern over the role of a Non-Governmental Organisation called Centre for Environment and Education (CEE) in the public consultation on the controversial Coastal Zone Management (CZM) notification issued by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF).

As the Kerala government goes on an overdrive to sell tourism, its major destinations are beginning to resemble garbage dumps

KA SHAJI
Thiruvananthapuram

Dr. TT Sreekumar

Review of
TRANSFORMING, RE-FORMING TOURISM: PERSPECTIVES ON JUSTICE AND HUMANITY IN TOURISM
A Publication marking the twenty fifth anniversary of the Ecumenical Coalition on Tourism.
Editor: Ceasar D’Mello

Joint Statement from KERALA TOURISM WATCH, EQUATIONS & KABANI – the other direction

Statement urges Kerala Government to abandon the Trivandrum golf course. It should be converted as a public bio diversity park for conservation and education. Abusing the public resources for protecting the hobby of few vested elites in the city can no longer be permitted.

_{It is important for the government to begin a genuine process of dialogue involving local communities and marginalized groups in addressing the impacts of Tourism in the state.  In an age of deliberative democracy, it will be hugely disappointing if the tourism department unilaterally choose to close options for such dialogical engagements.}

We are inspired by the Kerala people's expression of their outrage and resistance against irresponsible tourism managed from Kerala government's Department of Tourism. Voices from the Third World against the rapacious greed of globalization are getting stronger even as industry planners and their paid hacks of consultants try hard in vain to deodorize these by such euphemisms like 'Responsible Tourism'.Participants attending the official Convention on Responsible Tourism may well heed the call or advise, unsolicited though it be, to join the ranks of protesters outside the 5-star convention hall and instead help prevent tourism's annihilation of people's resources. This way, their participation in the so-called Convention of Responsible Tourism attain its real meaning and away from false promises of anti-poverty measures through tourism.