Hyderabad: If you have not visited the pristine stretch of India’s most protected archipelago – Lakshadweep – it is probably because it is best left undiscovered by populous tourism. Yes, it is a bewitching jewel in the Arabian Sea and it has been a body of restrictions, some by even the Supreme Court, that has kept it away from degradation, depletion, and blemished development.
But now that the Prime Minister has visited this haven and, more importantly, a Maldives-incited furor has put it into the limelight, no amount of screen will help. It has been spotted and, sadly, has to fight the war of upmanship with a nation like Maldives which, with all its azure beaches and eye-stirring beauty is still an over-developed tourism hub fighting a losing battle of existence and has appealed to the world to save it from sinking into the sea and vanishing forever.
Indeed, balancing tourism development with environmental protection is a twin-edged sword mostly propelling development over environmental protection, the latter being mostly a misnomer in the corridors of modern progress norms.
While islands like Bangaram offer stunning beaches, coral reefs, and unique marine life, their extremely fragile ecosystem is vulnerable to environmental hazards that will be exacerbated by unchecked tourism.
First and foremost in this category lies the cornerstone of Lakshadweep’s beauty, its stunning but vulnerable coral reefs.
Till now, and much after the court shut down the one and only resort of Lakshadweep – the Bangaram Island Resort which was run by the CGE Group – these coral reefs would get minimal visitors which included the cautious and informed marine researchers and a few honeymooners, both of which these reefs could withstand.
Coral reefs as we all know are crucial for marine biodiversity, protecting coastlines from erosion, and providing livelihood for local communities. However, rising sea temperatures due to climate change and unsustainable tourism practices like coral bleaching from boat anchors and pollution will definitely damage these fragile ecosystems.
Any kind of tourism bluster in areas like the delicate Lakshadweep islands comes fraught with dangers that we do not require to test. As we are aware, this archipelago is low-lying (like The Maldives) and highly susceptible to erosion. Increased tourist footfall, construction activities to house those tourists, an airport to land them – all this sounds so happening.
The reality though is, that the resultant removal of sand and vegetation will accelerate erosion, trigger beach loss, invite saltwater intrusion into freshwater sources, and embolden habitat destruction.
Put into simple words, it means mining a gem at the cost of survival, like killing the golden goose. At best, and if at all Lakshadweep needs visitors, it should be developed as a niche spot with a maximum limit of tourists that can land there for an indulgence called a holiday. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, ever since they emerged from being the British Kalapani islands to becoming the blue beauty of India, have suffered depletion, degradation, loss of habitat, and alarming urbanisation of its local communities and tribes.
These communities, totally secluded till the 90s have now become the jobless, angsting population of tourism-urbanised Andamans. You thank your lucky stars though that the Government has shown some prudence in making at least some stretches of the Nicobar Islands protected, unbreachable property.
Lakshadweep has several such communities that have till now not faced the dangers of being pushed into the alien environs of being mainstreamed. It will be great if they continue to lead that simple, set life with no intrusions of the like that will come in for tourism not for them.
Returning to the cost that generations, alas planet Earth will pay for the definite coastal erosion that will hit Lakshadweep with all the land sharks landing there and tourism-supportive infrastructure activities begin there in earnest, and that includes the airport. Till now a helipad has worked pretty well in securing the area from insufferable traffic.
Tourists go island hopping in dhows which neither disturb nor destroy marine life and have existed as their sustainable mode of transport for ages.
With the big ships will come intense marine pollution. Untreated sewage and waste from resorts, boats, and tourists will pollute the pristine waters of Lakshadweep. This can, in turn, harm marine life, disrupt food chains, and pose health risks to locals and tourists alike.
As it is, there is a freshwater scarcity in the area with just about enough being harvested with desalination and rainwater. These limited freshwater resources will dry on and die in the face of increased water demand from tourist activities, impacting local communities.
Now, did you know that New Zealand has a rigorous scanning and disinfecting rule for visitors arriving at their airports from anywhere in the world? From their shoes to their clothes to their baggage and their adventure gear – everything is put under a high-technology scanner to wade against any invasive plant or seed invasion of their delicate habitat.
The Kiwis have learnt the hard way. Did you know that we do not have a bird population at all? Did you know that they are in the midst of the world’s biggest bird conservation project to somehow bring back at least a species or two into the island’s lovely forest areas? Their birds, with no predator population being there in New Zealand, were all big land birds, not needing or knowing how to fly.
Then came the British explorers in their boats and ships and with them came the very English stoats. These predators ate up all the birds and their eggs as there were no protective measures for these lovely exotic birds to save themselves. Today, even the kiwi bird is under protection.
Lakshadweep stars are in a similar situation. Tourists can unintentionally introduce non-native species like plants and animals onto these islands. These can outcompete, kill, and devour native species, disrupt ecosystems, and harm biodiversity. Not to speak of the immense cultural disruption in store now that the indulgent rich need a holiday to a gem that they have not had the opportunity to destroy till now. Uncontrolled tourism will overwhelm the close-knit communities of Lakshadweep, leading to the loss of cultural identity, traditional practices, and social cohesion.
Sustainable tourism practices are crucial to mitigate these hazards and you will hear a lot of promises in this segment. Think Tanks will talk in conferences, write papers, and maybe even mount some movements to highlight the impending plight of Lakshadweep in the face of it becoming a competition with Maldives assets.
Yes, there is always damage control. Limiting tourist numbers, diligently implementing carrying capacity studies, developing eco-friendly resorts and infrastructure, adopting stricter waste management and pollution control measures, raising awareness among tourists and locals about responsible tourism practices, promoting cultural exchange, and supporting local communities – all these will point to the buzzword that cloaks tourist intrusion – a sustainable approach.
But will Lakshadweep become a model for eco-tourism, protecting its environment while reaping the economic benefits of tourism for its people? There are no markers for such tourism in India anywhere.
The Himalayas stand tall as an example of the biggest victims of environmental hazards that they are unable to withstand. 2013’s Kedarnath disaster, the recent Himachal Pradesh floods, the polluted coastline – they are all victims of growth.
Let’s leave Lakshadweep alone. After all guys, it is just a holiday that you are looking for and some money generation. Find a more stable source and forget the bluster by The Maldives. Their tourism has not extended life. They are hurtling fast into the sea, as their political leaders often say in the form of global appeals.
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