Kodagu must regulate tourist influx to protect fragile ecosystem: Environmentalist
Retired Colonel C.P. Muthanna calls for regulating tourist numbers in Kodagu, proposing entry fees, daily visitor caps, restrictions on new resorts and homestays, and an advance booking system to protect the district’s fragile ecosystem.
Madikeri: Kodagu has witnessed an excessive influx of tourists in recent years, placing immense pressure on its fragile ecosystem. Therefore, tourist numbers must be regulated, said Colonel Chepudira P. Muthanna (Retd.), Honorary General Secretary of the Environment and Health Foundation India.
Addressing a press conference on Monday in Madikeri, Muthanna who is also environmentalist said Kodagu was a small district facing several problems due to the large number of tourists visiting the region. He stressed the need for regulated and responsible tourism.
Kodagu has a population of only around six lakh, while more than 40 lakh tourists visit the district annually. He questioned whether these figures did not indicate the growing pressure on the district's resources.
While tourism contributes to the local economy, unregulated tourism has led to traffic congestion, waste management issues, increased pressure on natural resources, including water, and environmental pollution, he said.
The Cauvery, which originates in Kodagu and sustains millions of people across South India, must be protected from the adverse effects of excessive tourism. He urged the government not to grant permission for any new hotels or resorts in the district. He also called for regulating the growing number of homestays.
Entry fee: Muthanna proposed introducing an entry fee of ₹500 per tourist at tourist destinations. An additional fee of ₹500 should be collected from four-wheelers, while vans and buses should be charged ₹3,000.
A portion of the revenue collected should be handed over to the Karnataka Tourism Department or the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC). The remaining amount should be made available to the respective gram panchayats, town municipalities or Forest Department for the development and maintenance of local tourist destinations, he suggested.
He also proposed closing all tourist destinations to visitors once every 15 days to facilitate cleaning and proper maintenance.
Special entry permits should be issued to local residents visiting sacred places such as Bhagamandala and Talacauvery for religious rituals and traditional ceremonies, ensuring that tourism restrictions do not inconvenience them, he added.
Introduce a pass system: Muthanna suggested that the Tourism Department develop a dedicated website covering all tourist destinations in Kodagu. Tourists should be required to book their visits in advance and obtain entry passes through the website.
Only 150 passes should be issued per tourist destination per day, he proposed.
Such measures would help regulate the increasing number of tourists visiting the district and reduce the pressure on its fragile environment, he said.
