Madikeri; The tiny district Kodagu, also called Kashmir of the south became one of the major tourist destinations in south India. As it is nearest hill station to Bengaluru the number of tourist flow increasing day by day.
Just two decades back Kodagu, known for its cynic beauty was calm and clean. But after an increase in the number of tourists and the subsequent increase in the number of homestays, the entire idea, become a bane. According to the homestay idea, the family can build extra rooms for guests and allow them to stay in their house so that the tourists can taste the food, culture of people. But the mushrooming of homestays became a commercial activity, even evading tax to the government.
Now more than 90 percent of homestays running in separate buildings and even the owner's family not staying on the premises. It is difficult to differentiate between lodges and homestays. According to district administration sources, 670 homestays availed license from the tourism department to run homestays. But at least more than another 2000 homestays running unauthorisedly.
According to norms, no homestay can be run in a rented building, all stays should be installed with CC cameras but hundreds of unauthorized stays running in rented buildings. Many homestays are leased to third persons.
Last Sunday a woman tourist from Mumbai succumbed to asphyxiation caused by an LPG gas geyser. During interrogation it has come to light that the owner leased the homestay, staying abroad. This kind of commercialization snatched the life of innocent tourists. These homestays charge exorbitant, even not serving homely food. The police raided two homestays last year booked the owner and participants for organizing a rave party. As anti-social elements can also stay in unauthorized home stays as they do not maintain a register.
The Coorg homestay association president B G Ananthashayana said that the association already urged authorities to close the unauthorized home stays but they dint take action.
According to sources, more than 18 lakh tourists visit the district per annum which has a population of 6 lakhs. The mushrooming hospitality facilities provided job opportunities to thousands of people. Many homestay owners earn in crores. But increased tourism activity affects normal life and causes environmental pollution. Even people constructing home stays unscientifically in hillocks causing landslides for the last three years.
Speaking to this paper Kodava Samaja youth wing president Chammatira Pravin Uthappa said that increased tourism activity has done much damage to the district even Covid could not come under control. He said the state government should restrict the entry of tourists by issuing limited daily online passes, then only the district would remain as Kodagu.
Coovercolly Indresh
