Govt. apathy to tourism promotion lamented

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, JULY 5. British national Ms.Davina Taylor whose tourist resort at Thiruvallam was partially demolished by the City Corporation on Tuesday on charges of unauthorised construction today alleged high-handedness on the part of the authorities. Addressing a press conference, she said vested interests had been thwarting all her attempts to promote quality tourism in Kerala at a time when the State Government claims to be going all out to invite private participation to develop the sector.

Mr.Taylor said the demolition of two rooms had left her with a loss of Rs.15 lakhs. She said the rooms were being prepared for a BBC team due to arrive later this year. Her lawyer Mr.Rajaraman Nair said the two rooms were constructed in 1998 with the consent of the landowner who had leased out the property. She had later bought the land housing the resort.

Mr.Nair claimed that Corporation officials had pleaded ignorance about the Government stay order issued by the Local Administration Minister Mr.Cherkalam Abdulla on a plea from Ms.Taylor.

Ms.Taylor said she had been systematically harassed by certain elements ever since she bought the land housing the resort. She said local people claiming to be union workers had been extorting money even in the matter of food and mineral water supply to the tourists.

She said she had received a notice from the Pollution Control Board last June to install a new housing for the power generator at her resort. "As soon as I started work on erecting the generator housing, the Corporation issued a stay order. On the advice of the ward councillor, I stopped work until the construction could be regularised. On receiving the demolition notice on the 25th, I met the minister who granted a stay", she said.

Ms.Taylor said Corporation officials had swooped down on her resort at 8 am on Tuesday with a large posse of police and proceeded to demolish the main building instead of the generator housing for which she had received notice. She said the officials had refused to buy her assurance on the minister's stay order.

Ms.Taylor who was on the verge of tears, said she had been bringing quality tourists from England. "I have taken care to ensure that the tourists who patronise my resort are not drug addicts or backpackers, they are elderly, rich people who appreciate Kerala culture. But the government has not recognised my efforts," she lamented. Asked about her future plans, she said she would rebuild her resort if the government permits her.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Southern States
Previous : Row over land: KU counters Christ Church claim
Next     : Miscreants will be brought to book: Shanmugham