ECO TOURISM- A RELOOK

   A civil society meet organized in connection with the first Indian Biodiversity congress on Friday 31 st December,2010 at Thiruvananthapuram has called for a re-look at the concept of Eco-tourism as a means to protect biodiversity and enhance the well being of local people. A resolution adopted by the participants of the meet  said Eco-tourism had resulted ecosystem and biodiversity and displacement of local residents including indigenous people all over the world.
   There should be a better realization that biodiversity did not require tourism but tourism required biodiversity. Therefore, responsible tourism managed by local communities and fully sensitive to the ecology and biodiversity of the region should be promoted.
    The meet urged the goverment not to allow open field trials or release of genetically-modified crops in India, considering the imminent threat to  genetically modified organisms on biodiversity as well as health and environment. The participants sought an immediate ban on Endosulfan and other chemical pesticides with documented evidence of health hazards and impact on biodiversity. They demanded that state governments,communities and local self government institutions be empowered to regulate the use and sale of pesticide.
    The meeting called upon the government to formulate a national organic farming policy and action plan and phase out of use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers in five years. The resolution highlighted the need to substitute large dams with smaller Eco friendly power projects and decentralized renewable energy sources to minimize the impact on the environment. It sought  a ban on mining in ecologically fragile and Eco-sensitive zones, in view of the serious implications on the ecology and human health.
   Biodiversity education should made an integral component i school and college curriculum and in the continuing education programmes.It should emphasis biodiversity related to the locality and local-level issues and concerns. the education programmes should be to inculcate necessary skills in the children and youth to conserve and use biodiversity in a sustainable manner. Industries should be made accountable for the loss of biodiversity and related livelihoods, and they should take proper measures to prevent as well as premeditate such losses.Industrial and livelihood development plans should be focussed towards getting more biodiversity-based livelihood generation and not for working on hazardous materials and industries.

 Prof.JohnKurakar