What happened on Christmas Day bringing tears to the eyes of many when news filtered through of the death by drowning of 22 people in what was to have been a joy ride at Pulicat Lake could well have been averted if only successive Governments had paid heed to suggestions, proposals and project reports by several organisations to make Pulicat a major tourist destination. But having paid no attention to these recommendations, all it can now do is to make the usual excuses – safety standards ignored, absence of life-jackets, etc. The Government has gone on to make predictable moves – announcement of solatiums, rushing of ministers and top-ranking officials to the site, and promises of action. But will all this result in any change as far as ground reality is concerned? Can Pulicat become a tourist destination of international standards? Rather ironically, the disaster has come just weeks after the State Government announced a package to boost tourism in Tamil Nadu.

Pulicat Lake

Pulicat Lake is one of the oldest waterbodies in this region. Some put its age as over a million years. Its historicity is more recent, beginning when the Dutch made it their chief Bay of Bengal base around 500 years ago. It has, therefore, ruins and archaeological finds in addition to natural beauty. It also happens to support a fragile eco-system with locals practising agriculture and fishing. There is a bird sanctuary in the Andhra Pradesh side of Pulicat and the lake supports aquatic vegetation of various kinds. It also hosts flamingos in their thousands during the seasons. There is a beach and sand dunes. Thrown in historic temples, mosques and churches, you have an ideal mix for tourism. Yet, very little has been done to exploit it, though for nearly twenty years there has been talk of developing it as a tourism destination and a heritage town.

In 2008-09, the Union Ministry for Tourism sanctioned Rs 2.6 crore for the development of Pulicat. The State Government sanctioned Rs.70 lakh for the purpose, which included the building of a children’s park, carparking facilities and a restaurant. None of these came to fruition owing to bureaucratic delays. If all this had happened and Pulicat had become a government-monitored tourist destination, the recent tragedy may not have happened. As it is, Pulicat is an unregulated tourist destination. Tourism of a kind flourishes in the area. While there are no eateries of any standard worth mentioning in the place, sea-food as cooked by the locals is a speciality. And so is boating in flat-bottomed craft. It is a common sight to see locals flagging cars even on the highway and asking Pulicat-bound tourists if they want to enjoy a boat-ride. But these excursions are sans any safety gear, which has resulted in the present tragedy.

The focus now has to shift to what can be done with Pulicat. Interestingly, the old Danish settlement of Tranquebar can show the way. That was also a completely forgotten spot till the tsunami of 2004. Then a whole host of development measures, with Danish help, was put in place and now the town is well on its way to become a major tourist attraction. There is no reason why Pulicat cannot develop along the same lines – with Dutch help.

But if the Government gets round to it, it would do well to keep the local requirements in mind. Going back to the earlier plan, a carparking facility ought to probably be the last on the list. Good, clean accommodation and dining facilities, public toilets, and non-intrusive shopping areas ought to top the list. Boating if introduced, ought to be of the non-motorised variety to ensure minimum disturbance to the local habitat of birds and fishes. Cleanliness of the beaches and sand dunes must be ensured. And, above all, the local populace needs to be trained and given employment in support these efforts. That way, the project will be adopted by them as one of their own and will be an assured success.

The ball is now clearly in the Government’s court. We need some action quite soon.