Nelliampathy emerging big for investor meet

Close on the heels of the recent land controversies, the state government has invited an investment option at Nelliampathy in the upcoming Emerging Kerala 2012 meet, adding fuel to the burning issue.

The proposal has been made for a biological park and a forest lodge in a 25- acre land at Nelliampathy.

The option to invest in the same has been placed as the sixth in the list of investment openings under the tourism sector, mentioned in the website of the Emerging Kerala initiative.

The project has been prepared by the Tourist Resorts Kerala Ltd, an undertaking of the state government, on behalf of the Tourism Department for Emerging Kerala initiative.

“The target market for the project will be domestic and foreign tourists, with the major sub-sections being NRK and NRI educational and research groups, students and nature lovers,” the project says.

“In recent times, the focus has been on creating awareness on the threat to ecosystems from human overpopulation and its consequent need for biological and physical resources,” the website mentions.

The capacity of a single unit of the proposed forest lodge can vary from five to eight rooms and it says that “since we have a vast area with varied topography, we can plan additional units along with tent-stay,” and it expects that “this responsible and green initiative can be effectively combined to attract responsible tourists from across the state”.

The project will be situated on the 25-acre land falling under the Department of Tourism.

V D Satheesan MLA, member of the UDF ‘green brigade’, who visited Nelliampathy, told Express that the Tourism Department should clarify the location of the project since the land falls under the Nelliampathy estate.

“There is a lack of clarity in the location of the project. No land had been given to the Tourism Department by the Forest Department. If at all land has been given to the Tourism Department, it can be used for non-forest purposes only after getting prior permission from the Central government as per the Act passed in 1980,” he said.