Licence has been made mandatory for adventure tourism centres in the district to ensure the safety of tourists, District Collector Sheeba George has said.
The Kerala Adventure Tourism Promotion Society has given approval to only eight centres in the district. Zipline, hydrogen balloon, boat safari, off-road jeep safari, trekking, water sports, parasailing, and tent camping centres should collect licences issued by the society within two months. “Those who fail to follow the guidelines of the district administration will face action under the Disaster Management Authority Act 2005,” said the Collector.
Camps on elephant paths
The Collector has also ordered that unlicensed adventure tourism centres under the jurisdiction of local body secretaries be shut down. M.N. Jayachandran, district secretary, Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), said many tent camping centres were functioning on the elephant paths under the Chinnakanal panchayat limits in Idukki. “The police have also demanded that panchayats take action against such centres. But the authorities are yet to remove the tent camps from the elephant paths,” said Mr. Jayachandran.
