Now, Left has problem with tourism zones

NEW DELHI: After SEZs, Special Tourism Zones are now under the red scanner. The CPM has expressed concern about the proposed STZs and asked the government to examine the entire issue before it takes a final decision.

In a letter to minister of tourism and culture Ambika Soni, CPM polit bureau member and MP Sitaram Yechury has drawn the government���s attention to economic, environmental and social concerns relating to STZs. ���The proposal of the National Tourism Advisory Council concerning the creation of special tourism zones is creating some concern,��� Mr Yechury said.

Though the minister had said in parliament last month that the matter was still under consideration and no decision has been taken, the proposal for creation of STZs has already started causing worries, echoing the resistance to SEZs. Mr Yechury, chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on tourism, transport and civil aviation, enclosed a letter sent to him by an NGO listing objections to the STZs proposal.

The letter said, ���STZs and like-named models promote enclavisation which in the context of tourism refers to the process of converting tourism locations into exclusive islands where elite tourism can flourish thereby detaching them from the local environment, culture and economy.���

It also pointed out that the potential of tourism-related activities would be high in all SEZs considering that only 25% of the area needs to be devoted to industrial activity while the rest can be used for infrastructure, which includes roads, housing hospitals, hotels, leisure and recreation and entertainment facilities.

As per the STZs proposal, the tourism zones are to be located in tourist destinations, cities, and along the coastline. The government is to provide single window clearance and each STZ would have around 2,000-3,000 hotel rooms. The other features include tax exemption, facilities for shopping and entertainment and an exemption from import duty on capital goods, and withdrawal of luxury tax.

The letter raises the issues of displacement of people, rehabilitation, environmental regulations, labour laws, tax exemptions, rights of local governments and regional imbalances in opposing the current proposal.