Pollution affecting tourism in India: experts >From Indo-Asian News Service
New Delhi, June 5 (IANS) Pollution and poor treatment of natural resources at tourist destinations was deterring millions of tourists from visiting India, experts in the Indian capital said on World Environment Day Thursday. The experts told a panel discussion organised by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) that the government and voluntary groups should educate people to preserve natural resources and attract more foreign tourists. This, they said, would bring more revenues and help conserve the beautiful hills, beaches and other tourist attractions in India. S.P. Warty, member of Assocham and former general manager of the Taj Mahal hotel here, said: "It is a shame that such a big and beautiful country like India receives just 2.4 million tourists a year. In contrast, a small country like Singapore gets more than six million tourists annually." Warty, who was also advisor on hospitality to Rashtrapati Bhavan, or the presidential palace, said India's hotel industry was actively involved in preserving natural resources. People living at tourist destinations should help the industry in its efforts. Swadesh Kumar, founder president of Adventure Tour Operators, said: "Tourism is the first casualty of pollution." He noted that many beaches and hills that are favourite tourist spots are in a poor condition. There was no one to clean up the garbage left at these places by tourists. "This is happening because of a lack of organised tour operators in India," he said. He requested the government to issue a list of dos and don'ts to people living near tourist spots. R.S. Goel, member of the voluntary group Water Management Forum, said: "There are slums all along the Yamuna river in Delhi. All the waste created in these slums is dumped into the river, which has been reduced to a drain." The situation was the same almost everywhere, he said. O.P. Ratra, advisor to the plastic unit of the Reliance group, said: "It has become fashionable for people to carry plastic water bottles with them. These bottles are thrown by the wayside after use. "Their number is so large that it is not possible for rag pickers to collect all of them. This becomes an environmental hazard and gives a bad impression about the country." In Western countries, he said, people sell plastic products after using them. This culture has not come to India yet. --Indo-Asian News Service ########################################################################## # Send submissions for Goanet to [EMAIL PROTECTED] # # PLEASE remember to stay on-topic (related to Goa), and avoid top-posts # # More details on Goanet at http://joingoanet.shorturl.com/ # # Please keep your discussion/tone polite, to reflect respect to others # ##########################################################################
