BRIEFING

SAHARA AND THE SUNDARBANS – ECOTOURISM OR MEGATOURISM?

Executive Summary • Sahara India Pariwar is proposing an `ecotourism’ project in the ecologically fragile mangrove swamps of the Sundarbans in East India. • EIA does not believe that Sahara’s proposals meet with an acceptable definition of ecotourism. • Based on the available information from Sahara’s website, EIA has serious concerns about the environmental and social implications of this project. • EIA calls upon: o The Government of West Bengal to reject the proposal as it is currently presented. o The Government of India to review and amend tourism policy, to ensure that, in the interests of transparency, good governance and corporate accountability, multi-stakeholder forums are established to guarantee that tourism is conducted in a responsible and environmentally sustainable manner.

Introduction Tourism is now India’s largest industry, ``Environmentally responsible travel and providing 15% in foreign exchange visitation to relatively undisturbed areas, earnings1, and wildlife tourism is its fastest in order to enjoy, study and appreciate growing sector. With the potential to nature (and any accompanying cultural deliver massive economic benefits, global features – both past and present) that tourism has also been found to contribute promotes conservation, has low visitor to environmental degradation and to the impact, and provides for beneficially undermining of human rights. Whilst active socio-economic involvement of there is a need to harness the positive local populations'' potential of tourism in India, care must be taken to manage tourism in a manner that The above definition demonstrates the does not compromise the integrity of ethically led and holistic approach of natural resources, including forests and ecotourism, one in which the well-being of wildlife. local people, conservation of natural areas and the running of a profitable business What is Ecotourism? are taken as a set of integrated The application of the term `ecotourism’ management goals. Ecotourism has often caused controversy, mainly due operations typically tend to be small-scale to the fact that some providers of and sensitive in terms of their impacts on conventional tourism use the concept as a the local environment and culture, marketing tool, without embracing its involving the participation of local ethical and environmental basis. The communities as major stakeholders. World Conservation Union (IUCN) When properly managed, such adopted the following as a definition of ventures can result in significant benefits ecotourism2: to the local community, through increasing employment opportunities, diversifying construction within 500 metres of the High the local economy and providing funds for Tide Line. conservation. The ecotourists themselves have a more fulfilling experience by A Threatened Habitat experiencing natural areas in a manner that The need for protection of the Sundarbans raises their awareness of sustainable is highlighted by the record of past local development and engenders respect for mammalian extinctions, including the wild local cultures. buffalo (Bubalus huybalis), the swamp

deer (Cervus duvauceli) and the hog deer A Unique Mangrove Forest (Axis porcinus)7. The forest currently The Sundarbans mangrove forest is one of faces a number of threats: encroachment the world’s most outstanding wilderness from an ever-expanding human areas and is part of the planet’s largest population, pollution from the heavy use delta. Formed by the convergence of the of water transport, habitat destruction from rivers Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna, shrimp aquaculture and a decrease in it covers an area of 10,000 square freshwater inputs (with an associated 2 kilometres (km ), just over 40% of which increase in salinity) due to alterations to is in India and the rest in Bangladesh. river networks. It is, therefore, crucial that The Sundarbans National Park (1330 tourism does not add to this list and 2 km ), created in 1984, forms the core of instead becomes a beneficial force. 2 the Sundarbans Tiger Reserve (2585 km ). The high levels of biodiversity and uniqueness were recognised by its designation in 1985 as a World Heritage Sahara’s Proposals 3 site and in 1989 as a Biosphere Reserve . Sahara India Pariwar8, an Indian business The forest is home to fifty out of the conglomerate, proposes to create a world- sixty species of mangroves found in class tourism project in the Sundarbans 4 India , hundreds of species of migratory region, worth over US$155 million and birds, small cats, crocodiles and threatened spread over 303.5 hectares of land on a reptiles. The shallow swamps provide an number of islands, including Sagar, L-plot, ideal habitat for juvenile shrimps, Kaikhali, Fraserganj, and Jharkhali9. crustaceans, molluscs and fish, as well as Documents outlining their proposals breeding grounds for endangered species were submitted to the West Bengal of marine turtles and horseshoe crabs. government in 200310, but it is not clear if Furthermore, the forest contains the largest the project has received the necessary remaining contiguous population of the environmental clearances from MoEF. tiger (Panthera tigris), with an estimated EIA has contacted both government population in 2002 of 245 in the Tiger officials and Sahara India Pariwar in order 5 Reserve alone . to obtain specific details on the plans. In addition to controlling pollution, However, the only respondent, a member preventing erosion, protecting coral reefs of the West Bengal government, stated and buffering against tropical storms, the that the plan is not available in the public Sundarbans ecosystem sustains important domain. The following information, on shrimp fisheries and provides for the which this critique is based, has been livelihoods of thousands of people with obtained from Sahara’s own websites8,9. firewood, timber, medicines, honey and other natural products. ACCOMMODATION: The Ministry of Environment and - A mixture of accommodation types, Forests (MoEF), of the Government of comprising 5-star floating hotels, India, has declared all coastal stretches as high-speed boathouses, land-based protected, and all activities herein subject huts, luxury cottages and tents for to regulation, under the Coastal Regulation 1000 pilgrims at Sagar, an eco-village 6 Zone (CRZ) notification . This lists all at Fraserganj. (It is unclear what is mangroves as `ecologically sensitive’ meant by an `eco-village’.) areas under CRZ-I, which prohibits new

TRANSPORT/COMMUNICATION: legitimate use of the term by organisations - Landing jetties, hovercraft, helipads genuinely seeking an ecologically for emergency evacuations, a ``30- sustainable alternative to mass tourism. seater multi-utility high-speed power- Sahara’s proposals do not meet with craft for floating clinic, fire fighting the definition of ecotourism as it is applied and ultra modern security system’’8 to conservation, environmental and broadband Internet facilities. sustainability, local communities and ENERGY: education / cultural respect. - Solar power plants on some islands. (It is unclear whether this will be CONSERVATION sufficient for the project and what Ecotourism: contributes to other sources of energy may be conservation through: the direct required.) improvement of local habitat e.g. RECREATIONAL FACILITIES: rehabilitation work; donating to - Beach development to create environmental or conservation ``exclusive, beautiful virgin beach’’8; organisations; ensuring that development of 36,000 km2 of merchandise for sale does not come waterways; water-based activities from rare or threatened species. including catamaran services for Sahara: There is no indication of tourist excursions, aqua sports, e.g. support for direct conservation of the scuba-diving; wildlife watching mangrove forest or for conservation facilities including an elevated organisations, e.g. Project Tiger. walkway through the forest, watch Outside of strictly controlled scientific towers, a tiger/crocodile breeding programmes designed to maintain centre; other land-based facilities genetic diversity, there is no including a casino, spa, health, conservation benefit to be gained from shopping and meditation centres, captive breeding of tigers: 1) there is restaurant complexes and a mini golf no need to augment India’s substantial course. captive bred population; 2) they EDUCATIONAL/CULTURAL FACILITIES: cannot be reintroduced into the wild - Interpretation centres, an ecology and 3) there is widespread concern centre, a community hall for that many captive breeding facilities, traditional art and drama, pottery and a some of which have recently been craft museum. raided in Thailand, are contributing to OTHER PROPOSALS: the illegal trade in tiger parts. - Fish/vegetables/shrimp culture. (It is unclear whether or not Sahara intends ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY to set up fish processing in the Ecotourism: employs practices which Sundarbans.) do not degrade the environment in terms of an appropriate location, construction materials, site disturbance, visual impacts, lighting, Why Sahara’s Proposal water conservation, treatment of is Not Ecotourism effluent, noise, air quality, waste minimisation, energy efficiency and According to the information on the minimal disturbance to wildlife. proposals currently available, EIA is Sahara: The development of concerned that this project does not satisfy waterways could threaten the fragile an acceptable definition of ecotourism. In ecology of the mangrove swamps and fact, rather than being ecologically and facilitate poachers’ entry into the socially sustainable, the project could have forest. Increased waterway traffic potentially damaging implications for the could increase pollution, whilst Sundarbans Tiger Reserve, the floatels could involve higher noise surrounding mangrove forest and the levels and the unnatural use of indigenous communities. floodlights, which could disturb Sahara’s corruption of the concept of wildlife, possibly altering natural `ecotourism’ seriously undermines the breeding behaviour. Increased tourist flow may increase conflict with tigers and encroach on their habitat. Beach Recommendations development is likely to include the • EIA does not believe that Sahara’s removal of vegetation, reducing the proposals meet with an acceptable buffering effect against the sea. definition of ecotourism, and therefore EIA is aware of opposition to this calls upon the Government of West project on environmental and Bengal to reject the proposal as it is conservation grounds from Sanctuary currently presented. Asia4. • EIA also calls upon the Government of India to review and amend tourism LOCAL COMMUNITY policy, to ensure that, in the interests Ecotourism: provides ongoing of transparency, good governance and contributions to the local community corporate accountability, multi- through purchase of local stakeholder forums are established to products/services, employment of guarantee that tourism is conducted in local guides, etc. a responsible and environmentally Sahara: The proposal is for a large- sustainable manner. scale project with huge investment in expensive construction work rather References than for socially useful development 1 Sustainable Development International Corp. or conservation. The focus on high International Conservation - Sundarbans in a technology employs relatively fewer Broader Context www.smartoffice.com/tiger/id18.htm workers. There is no indication that 2 Ceballos-Lascurain, H. (1993) Ecotourism as a local guides and other workers will be worldwide phenomenon. In: K. Lindberg and employed or that the project will D.E. Hawkins (eds.). Ecotourism: Guide for diversify the local economy. Planners & Managers. The Ecotourism Society, North Bennington pp 12-14. EIA is aware that there has been 3 WCMC-IUCN. Protected Areas Programme - World opposition to the project from the Heritage Sites: Sundarbans National Park National Fishworkers Forum12. www.wcmc.org.uk/protected_areas/data/wh/sund arba.html 4 Sanctuary Asia. Sunderbans: Tourism threatens EDUCATION / CULTURAL RESPECT fragile mangroves Ecotourism: embraces the cultural www.sanctuaryasia.com/takeaction/detailcampaig n.php?cid=116 aspects of the area, consulting with 5 Project Tiger Directorate. Population of Tigers in the local people to allow presentation of Tiger Reserves as reported by the States. authentic cultural values, providing http://projecttiger.nic.in/populationinstate.htm 6 guides with knowledge of local Warrier, S.G. (1997). Business Line www.equitabletourism.org/coastalis.htm heritage/people, advising ecotourists 7 Salter, R.E. (1984) Status and utilisation of wildlife: on appropriate behaviour, etc. Food and Agricultural Organisation, Rome, Italy. Sahara: The type of construction 8 Sahara India Pariwar www.saharaindiapariwar.org 9 Sahara Infrastructure and Housing –Integrated Sahara proposed is not in keeping with the Tourism Circuit in West Bengal local way of life. There is no www.saharahousing.com/project/sundarban.htm indication that the local communities 10 Hindu Businessline (08/08/03). Sahara submits are being properly consulted by project report on Sundarbans. www.thehindubusinessline.com/bline/2003/08/09/ Sahara. Far from engendering respect stories/2003080901720200.htm for local people, there are reports that 11 Sahara India Pariwar – Sunder Ban Project fishworkers are being relocated from www.saharaindiapariwar.org/forthcom/sunder.ht m the island of Jambudwip to make way 12 National Fishworkers Forum. Five star mega tourism for foreign tourists, with a bureaucrat project to destroy the largest mangrove forest of of the West Bengal government the world. www.wffp.org/nff1.asp?file1=wffpmangrove.htm reportedly stating that it was ``to get 13 13 Dubey, S. and Lahiri, S. (2003) Endangered rid of these eyesores’’ . Livelihood. A Fact Finding Report on the Transient Fishing Community of Jambudwip. Environmental Justice Initiative, New Delhi

This briefing was written by Alex Sylvester, edited by Debbie Banks and Nick Mole. Environmental Investigation Agency Ltd. 62-63 Upper Street, London N1 0NY United Kingdom Tel: (+44) 20 7354 7960 Fax: (+44) 20 7354 7961 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.eia-international.org