a n n u a l r e p o r t 2 0 0 9 - 1 0 Equitable Tourism Options (EQUATIONS) #415, 2C Cross, 4th Main, OMBR Layout, Banaswadi, Bengaluru - 560 043. Tel: +91 (80) 25457607 / 25457659 Fax: +91 (80) 25457665 Email: [email protected] Website: www.equitabletourism.org EQUATIONS, established in 1985, is a Society registered under the Karnataka Societies Registration Act, 1960 and the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 1976. It is also registered under section 12 A of Income Tax Act, 1961 and has obtained recognition under section 80 G of the Income Tax Act, 1961. Photographs: EQUATIONS Layout, Design, Printing: Focus Communications, Bengaluru September, 2010, Bengaluru, India Abridged Report Equations ANNUAL REPORT 2009-10 THE CONTEXT OF OUR WORK The links between tourism and the abuse of children in the form of child sexual abuse, child trafficking, Displacement of people, destruction of livelihoods child prostitution, pornography and child sex and devastation of natural resources has been a tourism, and child labour have been established. major cost of the development path pursued in this The myths of child sexual abuse being limited to Goa country. Struggles and protests across the country and Kerala and isolated to foreign tourists alone bring out the plight of all those who are exploited, have also been proved wrong with a series of studies displaced, and further marginalised in the process undertaken over the years, highlighting links of nation building. Corporations seem to have taken between tourism and the rampant existence of child over the tasks of planning, law and policy making, sexual abuse spreading to Uttar Pradesh, regulation and decisions in the country! Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Pondicherry, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, The Planning Commission of India’s Eleventh Five Tamil Nadu and Delhi and attributable to domestic Year Plan (2007-12) in its section on tourism focuses tourists as well. on marketing, promotion, investment, and infrastructure support required for the expansion There is also growing evidence of an increase in and promotion of the tourism sector. Mid-way in its child pornography because of lax regulatory regimes implementation of the 11th Plan, the Planning and mechanisms, and this has also been confirmed Commission and the Ministry of Tourism called for a by the Interpol. Given the dismal conviction rate it mid-term review of the progress and based on was an important step that in November 2009 the suggestions of the consultative group a revision in first case was registered using a section related to the plans and budgets is foreseen. curbing child pornography under the Information Technology (Amendment) Act 2008. However a drastic shift in the way tourism is developed and promoted is unlikely as the Ministry The need for protection of the coastal ecology and of Tourism’s priority focus remains infrastructure, livelihoods of local communities from industrial investments and more tourists. To achieve this they activities in coastal areas continues. The Ministry of plan to come up with more schemes, open up more Environment and Forests’ (MoEF) decision to regions and create more products. In the coming replace the existing Coastal Regulation Zone years, their focus will be on infrastructure, Notification (CRZ) notification of 1991 with a domestic tourism and skill development. Coastal Management Zone (CMZ) notification was Responding to the pressure of organisations such as widely opposed as it would result in further dilution EQUATIONS, the Ministry of Tourism has at long last of regulation. Another environmental regulation acknowledged the negative impacts on children and that has sparked wide spread public debate initiated steps to protect children and in creating Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) notification, guidelines that address the fragility of the various 2006. Prior to 2006 certain types of tourism projects ecosystems. However on the issue of climate on the coasts and hilly areas required prior change and tourism they remain silent. environmental clearance from the MoEF. These 1 requirements have been considerably diluted accountability, consultation, equity and community existing regulations leading to grant of rights. We are up against a government machinery environmental clearance to large infrastructure that believes in a neo-liberal economic philosophy projects without mandatory EIA studies and lack of and model for India. In tourism, the implications of transparency in environmental clearance. Along this paradigm have been support to corporate-led with this the government’s push for new authorities tourism development, centralisation of policy and like the National Green Tribunal and a National decision-making and as a consequence reduced Environment Protection Authority (NEPA) powers to local governments; infrastructure-led outsources the MoEF’s responsibility in monitoring tourism development and a strain on natural compliance of projects granted environmental resources. The role of international financial clearance, have been decried by civil society institutions and large corporate houses in organisations. influencing development and de-regulation is increasing in all sectors in India, including tourism. Tourism continues to make inroads into ecologically Another trend is of IFIs, especially the World Bank fragile areas rich in natural resources. Local and Asian Development Bank, increasing investing in communities in these areas have been subject to tourism and tourism linked infrastructure. displacement and marginalisation under the stated agenda of conservation. The opening of the same The country is witnessing crisis with the areas for tourism sharpens the conflict for natural government’s policy of investment and resources between local communities and the infrastructure oriented growth. To accommodate tourism industry. Unregulated tourism activities such investments, the trend has been towards have also led to degradation of ecosystems and diluting regulatory frameworks on land use and land adverse impacts on wildlife in tourism sites. The holdings. Land acquisition for development participation of local communities in shaping (including tourism) continues unabated leading to tourism development through participatory displacement of local communities, destruction of planning, regulation of tourism activities in their livelihoods restricting their access to natural regions remains limited. Community based tourism resources and means of livelihood. These have ventures that are sustainable and based on brought to the forefront the growing link between participatory processes still form a minority of land, displacement and tourism. The state tourism projects. governments are into developing land banks for industries. They are auctioning and leasing out land A recent trend is the push of standards in the form of that communities depend on for livelihood and certification of tourism establishments by sustenance for industrial and commercial activities international bodies. Our concern is that with like tourism. The central and state planning bodies limited financial and technical expertise to are also proposing and supporting the move. The undertake certification processes and the nature of Tourism Section of 11th Five Year Plan proposes small operations they will not be able to comply “state governments would be encouraged to set up with such top down standards thus placing them at a land banks and streamline procedures and practices competitive disadvantage vis-à-vis established to facilitate investment in tourism sector.” The players. country is also witnessing privatisation of commons Tourism’s contribution to economic development by industries like tourism – tourism activities has most often been the reason given for the consuming common property spaces and resources introduction of this sector to a region. However that local communities have used for generations serious questions such as who really benefits from for livelihoods and have been integral part of their tourism – who get employed, at what level, what is existence, culture and tradition. the nature of employment, what is the income Another trend is the reversal of the process of earned, how much is retained within the local decentralisation of governance – causing a setback economy, how much is leaked out, remain to grassroots democracy. In areas with tourism unanswered. The economic and trade policy debate potential, powers and duties of the Local Self in India is continuing to pose serious challenges for Governing Institutions (LSGIs) are being insidiously those engaging with questions of democratic being passed on to Development Authorities. 2 Women continue to be marginalised and pushed to a identify issues related to tourism expansion, study subordinate category in the society and are environmental and social impacts of nature based subjected to discrimination of all kinds. Apart from tourism practices, research on the rights of the sexual violence which is used as a weapon against indigenous communities (adivasis) under women universally, women are still denied their Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, rights with regard to property, maintenance, labour 1996 (PESA), Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional protection, equal wages and many other basic rights Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, associated with citizenship. Patriarchy over- 2006 (FRA) vis-à-vis expansion of tourism, and shadows most efforts towards changing the societal widen