The Hindu Business Line : `Ecology under threat from tourism plans'

THE State Government, in its bid to promote tourism in Visakhapatnam district in a hurry, is causing irreversible damage to the eco system, especially the beaches, and its policies are posing a grave threat to the olive ridley turtles, Mr Pradeep Kumar Nath, President of Visakha Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, has alleged.

In a press release, he said studies of late had indicated that the olive ridley turtles were moving from the Orissa beaches to Andhra coast in Srikakulam and Visakhapatnam districts in the nesting season and quite a few of them were perishing due to human intervention.

He said the coastal regulatory zone rules were being flouted with impunity, citing the example of the sub-marine museum (INS Kurusura) set up on the beach road. Many other constructions were coming up, posing a threat to the habitat of turtles and other marine creatures.

He urged the Government and the municipal corporation to ban the entry of tourists and local people on the stretch of beach from Coastal Battery to VUDA Park during November-December and February-March, which is the nesting and hatching season of the turtles.

Further, he urged the authorities to set up shades on the beaches to protect the turtle hatchlings from being distracted and disoriented. "The light emanating from the buildings on the beach road upsets the fragile creatures and they can't find their way back to the sea,'' he explained.

He said most of the trawlers were not using turtle excluder devices and the Government should enforce the regulation strictly.

Mr Pradeep Kumar Nath urged the Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority to give up the project for four-laning the Vizag-Bheemunipatnam beach road, as it would affect the eco system.

He cautioned the Government that if it did not take care to protect and conserve the eco system, its basic objective of attracting international tourists would be defeated.

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