CHAPTER-11 TOURISM Weather can ruin a holiday, but climate change can ruin a destination. - Daniel Scott, Second International Conference on Tourism and Climate Change, Davos, Switzerland (2007)
This chapter talks about Hyderabad and its Development towards Tourism and its Impacts on Environment, Domestic Tourist Traffic and International Tourist Traffic. It also focussed on different Tourist Places and National Monuments in Telangana district and also on International Tourist Traffic. Talked about on different types of tourism like Eco Tourism, Tribal Tourism, Adventure Tourism, Rural Tourism, Pilgrimage Tourism, GodavariPushkaralu, Heritage Tourism, Health Tourism, Mice Tourism, Safe and Responsible Tourism and their impacts. It also emphasised on Impact caused due to Idol Immersion on HussainSagar Lake. Discussed on Acts & Laws. Talked about best practices of Sustainable Tourism Development, Policy R e s p o n s e s a n d o n S u g g e s t i o n s & Recommendations.
CHAPTER 11 TOURISM 11.0 Introduction Tourism is one of the fastest growing sectors in the World with total international tourist arrivals witnessing a significantly high growth in recent decades, particularly after year 2000. According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), despite occasional shocks, worldwide international tourist arrivals have shown virtually uninterrupted growth from 25 million in 1950 to 278 million in 1980, 528 million in 1995 and reached the 1 billion mark, at 1,035 million in 2012. The year 2013 saw this number growing to 1,087 million, recording a growth of 5 per cent. The growth in international tourist arrivals for South Asia has been even larger. From 6.1 million arrivals in 2000, the number of international tourist arrivals grew to 15.2 million in 2013, marking the compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.3 per cent (UNWTO, 2014). Similarly, Tourism in India has been growing in leaps and bounds over the years, with each region of India contributing something to its splendour and exuberance. The year 2014 witnessed a growth of 10.6% in Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in India, which is higher than the medium/median growth rate of 4.7% witnessed in International Tourist arrivals, globally. FTAs during 2014 were 77.03 lakh as compared to the FTAs of 69.68 lakh during 2013. In a similar way, Telangana is also attracting lakhs of tourists including foreign tourists every year due to its variety of tourist attractions of historical monuments, forts, waterfalls, forests and temples etc. However, Hyderabad is the prime destination for both the domestic as well as foreign tourists. 11.1 About Hyderabad Hyderabad, the capital city of Telangana state, is the fifth largest cosmopolitan city in the country. This is a charming city not just to visit around but also to study, work and live. This legendary city has over 400 + years of history. It thrives with a variety of cultures that gives it a distinct identity of its own. This is where tradition fuses with modernity and heritage structures vie with modern high-rise buildings to add to the beauty of the city. Geographically, located in the heart of the Deccan plateau, Hyderabad has an invigorating climate with awe inspiring tourist attractions ranging from Heritage monuments, Lakes, Parks, Resorts and Museums to Exotic cuisine. The city of Hyderabad is also a shopper's delight! It is famous in the world over for its fabulous pearls, glass embedded bangles and the delectable "Hyderabadi Biryani". From the global brands to traditional arts, crafts and ethnic wear, it offers a delightful shopping experience. It is unique in being one of the few cities where technology and tradition co-exist; a revolution that has already attracted many major MNC's to set up offices and operations here. It is not an exaggeration to say that the city is steering the nation to new horizons in the fields of Information Technology, Biotechnology, Pharmaceuticals, Business Management, Construction, and other industries. All the above factors have allowed Hyderabad to emerge as a city of choice for start ups, incubation centres and new industries.tourism plays an important role in the economy of Hyderabad. Tourism related fairs are held regularly in the city. In 2010, the city was listed amongst the Gamma World City by the global city index produced by GaWC. The city was rated nineteenth rd in the world by The New York Times in the list of 41 Places to go in 2011. It was ranked the 3 Best City to Travel in 2013 by Lonely Planet (Responsible Tourism & Human Accountability for Sustainable Business, Edited Book, Published in 2016). Recently, Hyderabad was ranked second among the Best of the World - 20 Places You Should see in 2015 list, published in the annual guide of National Geographic Traveler magazine. 263
11.2 Development of Tourism and Its Impact on the Environment Whether it is a man-made attraction or natural attraction, the quality of the environment at both is one of the essential elements of tourism activity. In fact, the relationship between environment and tourism is a bit complex. It involves numerous activities that could have undesirable environmental effects. Many of these effects can be linked with the construction of roads, railways and airports, related to general infrastructure and of construction of resorts, hotels, restaurants, shops, golf courses related to tourism centric infrastructure. The negative impact of tourism development destroys the environmental resources gradually. In contrast, tourism activities also have the possibilities to create beneficial effects on the environment by contributing to protection and conservation of the environment. It can be used as a means to create awareness about environmental values and concerns and can be used as a better tool to protect natural areas. 11.3 Drivers The main drivers for development of tourism in the state and increase in tourist traffic have been the following factors. 11.3.1 Domestic Tourist Traffic Rapidly increasing purchasing power of the middle class with enhanced earning capacities. Better accessibility/connectivity like road, rail and air transportation. Affordable tourism & hospitality services Customized Hotel services Increased hotel room capacities of all types from budget category to luxury segments. Developed local attractions with native flavours & hospitality. Increased information sources for exploration of new destinations and niche products. Growing concept of annual holidaying with families & friends. Historical and Cultural factors in the form of tangible & intangible heritage attracting the tourists to destinations. Travelling seen as a means of Social status Visiting religious places for rituals and ceremonies Evolving lifestyles & modern trends. 11.3.2 International Tourist Traffic Value for money holiday destinations in the state. Business cum pleasure destinations in capital city and in tier two cities. Development of popular tourist destinations with their distinctive brand image, especially in and around Hyderabad. Safety and security of tourists not just in cities and towns but also in majority of tourist destinations by regular police as well as tourism police. Hassle free travel formalities like visa on arrival, m visa facility in Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad. Meeting & exhibition facilities for MICE Tourism Overall affordability like transportation costs, tour packages, entry tickets, medical facilities, shopping etc. 264
Sightseeing locations of natural pristine beauty, cultural facades, folk lore and village settings. Good climatic conditions of the tourist destinations almost in all seasons. Enhanced night life to the possible extent. Proactive participation of the private sector in supply chain of tourism services. New initiatives of State tourism in providing state of the art world class facilities and extension services on demand like heli - tourism, escorted tours, mobile apps and other IT enable services etc. 11.4 Pressures All these driving factors are increasing tourism demand in the state and the increased demand is leading to pressure on available resources which are basically scarce. This is on a whole, posing a serious effect on the environment. To mention in a nut shell, the environment is impacted by a wide range of tourism related factors and with some of the consequences being habitat loss, Poaching, hunting and mistreatment of both flora and fauna. Usage of fossil fuels in restaurants, tourism resorts generates high emissions which are in turn increasing the pollution levels in tourist areas and causing environmental pollution and degradation. Increased tourist activities in forest zones in the name of safari, jungle ride, adventure activities, development of camp sites, accommodation units, cottages etc. are causing deforestation and loss of natural landscape. The ancient heritage of forts, palaces, monuments, sarais are getting damaged with graffiti because of irresponsible and callous behaviour of tourists. Modern facilities being created in tourist destinations are causing visual architectural pollution at many places, especially in temple zones. Lakes & water bodies are polluted due to tourist activities of cruising, boating, joy rides etc. Improper management of waste like plastic bottles, carry bags, food foils etc. are leading to an increase of untreated solid waste. The fuels and oils used for water fleet operations are increasing the water pollution level. Finally, all these pollutants are affecting the quality of the water in ponds, lakes and rivers. Similarly, an increase in number of tourists to destinations is putting lot of pressure on the existing groundwater resources which are already facing depletion. At times, the pressure is so high on the tourism industry that in spite of shortage of drinking water to the general public, water based activities for tourists are promoted at the cost of local public or communities. This creates potential problems and a hostile environment between tourists and the hosts. 11.5 State Popular tourist destinations of Telangana are attracting tourists not just from within the state or country, but also from around the world. The statistical details of number of domestic and international tourists who visited Telangana in the last ten years (2005 to 2014) are show in Table 11.1 and Figure 11.1. Table 11.1 Number of Tourist Arrivals, 2005 to 2014 S. No. Year Domestic Foreign Total 1 2005 3,21,12,809 4,79,541 3,25,92,350 2 2006 4,30,19,334 5,73,821 4,35,93,155 3 2007 5,06,44,333 7,07,960 5,13,52,293 4 2008 5,05,92,646 7,28,564 5,13,21,210 5 2009 5,04,32,155 7,54,437 5,11,86,592 6 2010 5,15,04,283 2,95,719 5,18,00,002 7 2011 4,94,74,784 2,32,920 4,97,07,704 8 2012 9,14,71,964 2,25,979 9,16,97,943 9 2013 5,40,84,367 1,53,966 5,42,38,333 10 2014 7,23,99,113 75,171 7,24,74,284 11 2015 9,45,16,316 1,26,078 9,46,42,394 Source: Statistical Year Book 2016 Pg. No.315, DES Govt. of Telangana 265
1000 914.72 948.16 900 800 723.99 Lakh Numbers 700 600 500 400 300 321.13 430.19 506.44 505.93 504.32 515.04 494.75 540.84 200 100 0 4.80 5.74 7.08 7.29 7.54 2.96 2.33 2.26 1.54 0.75 1.26 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Domestic Foreign Source: Statistical Year Book 2016, Pg. No. 315 DES Govt. of Telangana Figure 11.1 Domestic and Foreign Tourist arrivals 2005 to 2014 Table 11.2 Share of Top 10 States/UTs of India in Number of Domestic Tourist Visits - 2015 Rank State / UT Domestic Tourist Visits in 2015 Number Percentage Share (%) 1 TamilNadu 333459047 23.3 2 Uttar Pradesh 204888457 14.3 3 Andhra Pradesh 121591054 8.5 4 Karnataka 119863942 8.4 5 Maharashtra 103403934 7.2 6 Telangana 94516316 6.6 7 Madhya Pradesh 77975738 5.4 8 West Bengal 70193450 4.9 9 Gujarat 36288463 2.5 10 Rajasthan 35187573 2.5 Total of top 10 States 1197367974 83.6 Others 234605820 16.4 Table 11.3 Tourist Arrivals to Khammam District during 2012-14 Year Domestic Tourists International Tourists 2012 878381 74 2013 11941861 123 2014 12772403 169 The below statistical figures highlight the increasing growth rate of both tourists and visitors to Kinnerasani Wildlife Sanctuary in Khammam District are shown in table 11.4 266
Table 11.4 Tourist and Visitor Arrivals to Kinnerasani Wildlife Sanctuary Year Tourists Visitors Total Revenue Earned by Forest Dept. 2009 1069 341 1410 63514 2010 1120 427 1547 67702 2011 1394 509 1903 71475 2012 1537 682 2219 72891 2013 1631 730 2361 74670 2014 1707 805 2512 76738 source: From the Edited Book - Responsible Tourism & Human Accountability for Sustainable business, Published in 2016. In order to better serve the needs of ever increasing tourists Telangana tourism department is operating an efficient network of tourist buses, providing various types of accommodation units, basic amenities and entertainment facilities in addition to those provided by the private sector. The abstract details are shown in Table 11.5 Table 11.5 Abstract Details of Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation Properties Haritha Hotels 34 Wayside Amenities 7 Transport Fleet 67 buses, Taxis- 3, Caravan- 1 Water Fleet 72 boats The services offered by Telangana Tourism are of highest standards, for the safety and convenience of travellers. The Transport Vehicles of Telangana Tourism are reliable, safe and well-maintained. Apart from the Benz and Volvo busses, there are also Innova Vehicles for the tourists to reach their destinations with comfort. For package and luxury tourists, the tourism corporation offers high-end caravans for an ideal holiday. BOX 11.1 The major activities of the Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation (TSTDC) in the state are as below: Tourism Infrastructure Development Hotels & Catering Guided & Package Tours Leisure Cruises & Pleasure Boating Sound & Light shows, Ropeways Ecotourism & Adventure Tourism etc., Though, all these are very much desirable from a development and promotional angle, it is to be noted that because of huge influx in the tourists the demand for the hotels, restaurants and other infra-structure and super-structure facilities and amenities in the tourist areas are growing enormously day by day. In view of this Solar lighting, Garbage bins, Plastic bottles recycling plant, Solar water heaters and STP s are being implemented wherever feasible. In fact, tourism development has been successful in attracting more tourists and increasing their period of stay at the destinations. Improvement in the cleanliness and hygiene at the tourist destinations and environmental awareness among the people has fostered a conducive atmosphere for tourists. 267
Guide training among the local and unemployed youths has led to an increasing number of youths helping the Tourists in exploring the places of attraction right from the villages to urban areas. This is also providing employment for rural youth. The concept of home stays promoted amongst the host community have resolved some of the problems of tourist accommodation and also helped the tourists to feel a part of the local community. The land values near tourist destinations have gone up considerably helping the rural economy. There seems to be a major reduction in migration of rural people to urban areas due to tourism. A Market for agro products and handicrafts in rural areas establishing direct contact with customers has become a reality. The common people have also learnt to develop a healthy environment with proper sanitation, roads, electricity telecommunications etc. for better living with the intervention of the tourism department and NGOs. The locals have also learnt the importance of preservation of natural and cutural resources, use of modern tools and technology etc. and since the income from tourism is much higher than what rural people can earn from agriculture, tourism has been accepted willingly in many rural areas. 11.6 Tourist Places in Telangana th Telangana, the 29 and youngest state of India, formally recognized on June 2, 2014 is a treasure trove of tourist destinations. One of the largest states in South India, Telangana is known for its hospitality and multicultural and pluralistic society. The region achieved statehood after a prolonged struggle and is known for its unique culture, dialect, cuisines and other aspects. Along with other sectors, Tourism in Telangana State is one of the important sectors of the state's economy. Telangana's rich cultural heritage and natural beauty and diversity attract tourists from every corner of the Globe. From World, famous monuments like Charminar, Golconda Fort, QutubShahi Tombs to the recently popularized Bogatha waterfalls, Kawal Tiger Reserve, Yadadri temple, Bhongir fort etc. are a reason for tourists to visit Telangana. An important point highlighting the rich tangible heritage of Telangana; the Archaeological department, Government of Telangana has 347 protected monuments under the provisions of Hyderabad Ancient Monuments preservations Act (Hyderabad Act VIII of 1337 F) and A.P. Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1960. 11.7 National Monuments in Telangana Important monuments such as Golkonda Fort, Charminar in Hyderabad, early historical sites at Kondapur in Medak, Navabrahma Group of Temples, Alampur in Mahabubnagar, Thousand pillar temple, Ramappa temple, Fort Warangal in Warangal and Pre-historic monuments of Janampet in Khammam have been taken over by Archaeological Survey of India through an Act of Parliament categorizing them as the ''National Monuments''. The district wise popular tourist places in Telangana are shown in Table 11.6. All the cultural, religious and natural tourist destinations are being given a facelift to promote tourism in Telangana. Necessary budget allocations are being made towards infrastructure development across tourist destinations and circuits. In order to promote spiritual and cultural heritage, Yadagirigutta, a holy place near Hyderabad and much revered in Telangana State is being developed as a global religious centre. The Government has declared 'Bathukamma' and 'Bonalu' as State festivals and is celebrating these with pomp and pride. Over the years, through five year plans, the Ministry of Tourism Government of India has been sanctioning various projects under Central Financial Assistance (CFA) scheme with a view to ensure tourism infrastructure development. The type of projects planned and implemented as part of the CFA include provision of basic infrastructural facilities to tourists across the destinations, developing tourist complexes, wayside amenities, refurbishment of monuments, sound and light shows and illumination of monuments etc. 268
Table 11.6 District wise popular Tourist Places in Telangana S.No. District Popular Tourist Places 1 Adilabad Basara Saraswathi temple, Kawal Tiger Reserve, Kadem Reservoir, Kuntala Waterfalls, Pochera Waterfalls, Sri Nagoba temple. 2 Hyderabad Charminar, Golconda Fort, Qutbshahi Tombs, Birla Mandir, Salarjung Museum, Nizam Museum, Chowmahalla Palace, Hussainsagar, Durgam Cheruvu, Zoo Park, KBR National Park, Shilparamam, 3 Karimnagar Lower Manair Dam (LMD), Elagandula Fort, Bommalamma Gutta, Vemulawada, Kondagattu, Dharmapuri, Kaleshwaram. 4 Khammam Khammam Fort, Bhadrachalam, Kinnerasani Wildlife Sanctuary, Bogotha Waterfalls, Nelakondapalli, Kusumanchi, Jamalapuram. 5 Mahabubnagar Alampur Group of Temples, Jetprole Group of Temples, Kollapur, Somasila Backwaters, Sri Rangapur temple, Pillalamarri, Gadwal, Farhabad, Mallelatheertham. 6 Medak Edupayala Jatara, Medak Fort, Medak Church, Pocharam Wildlife Sanctuary, Jharasangam Temple, Singoor Dam. 7 Nalgonda Yadadri, Nagarjunasagar Dam & Budhavanam, Bhongir Fort, Kolanupaka, Pochampally, Panagallu. 8 Nizamabad Dichpally Ramalayam, Bada Pahad Dargah, Ashoksagar, Alisagar, Mallaram Forest. 9 Rangareddy Ananthagiri hills, Vikarabad, Chilkur Balaji Temple, Gandipet lake, Shamirpet Lake & Deer Park, Mrugavani National Park, Mahavir Harinavanasthali National Park, Keesaragutta. 10 Warangal Thousand Pillars Temple, Bhadrakali Temple, Warangal Fort, Ramappa Temple, Laknavaram Lake, Ghanpur Temples Pandavulaguhalu, Pakhal Lake, Eturunagarm Madaram. Tourism has the potential to highlight the cultural heritage and ecological sites to tourists from within and outside the State in addition to earning revenue and promoting employment. However, this development raises some concerns/ issues related to environment particularly in the protected and fragile areas. 11.8 Eco Tourism The International Ecotourism Society defined Ecotourism as "responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people." (TIES, 1990). Using TIES' definition and principles of ecotourism as guidelines, the tourism industry of the State has continued to serve as an unbiased ecotourism practitioner. Telangana has rich wildlife in its forest covers including national parks and sanctuaries which provide a great opportunity for wildlife and eco-tourism activities. The Wild Life Sanctuaries, National Parks & Tiger Reserves of Telangana are shown in Table 11.7 As part of Ecotourism, main activities taken up are bird watching, nature trails, watching of the lush green landscapes viz.,scenic beauty of the hills, valleys, meadows, water bodies, natural processes and practicing to live in and with Nature. Accommodation units and restaurants developed near lakes, abutting water fronts and in the forest areas are designed in such a way so as to suit to the locales. For instance, Eco Tourism Centre has been developed at Jannaram in Adilabad district with cottages, restaurant, tribal museum multipurpose centre etc. which has enhanced the eco-tourism activities in Jannaram forest and also helped in uplifting the lives of local tribes by providing employment and ancillary livelihood activities. Similarly, tourist cottages and boating activities at Kadem reservoir in Adilabad district have been taken up. 269
Table 11.7 Wildlife Sanctuary / National Parks / Tiger Reserves in Telangana Sl. No. Name of Wildlife Sanctuary / National Parks / Tiger Reserves Wildlife Sanctuaries District 1 Kawal WLS (Kawal Tiger Reserve) Adilabad 2 Pranahita WLS Adilabad 3 Sivaram WLS Adilabad & Karimnagar 4 Eturunagaram WLS Warangal 5 Pakhal WLS Warangal 6 Kinnerasani WLS Khammam 7 Manjira WLS Medak 8 Pocharam WLS Medak & Nizamabad 9 Amrabad WLS (ATR) Mahabubnagar&Nalgonda National Parks 1 KasuBrahmananda Reddy N.P. Hyderabad 2 Mrugavani N.P. Ranga Reddy 3 MahavirHarinaVanasthali N.P. Ranga Reddy Tiger Reserve 1 Kawal Tiger Reserve Adilabad 2 Amrabad Tiger Reserve (ATR) Mahabubnagar&Nalgonda Zoological Parks 1 Nehru Zoological Park Hyderabad 2 Vana Vignana Kendram (Mini Zoo) Warangal Deer Parks 1 Jawaharlal Nehru Tourist Complex (JLTC) Shamirpet (Ranga Reddy) 2 Pillalamarri Deer Park Mahabubnagar 3 Kinnerasani Deer Park Paloncha (Khammam) 4 LMD Deer Park Karimnagar *Source: compiled from the 'Forest at a Glance 2014' report of the Telangana Forest Department 11.9 Tribal Tourism Telangana is the only state in entire south India to have 9.34% of its population from tribal stock (census 2011). About 24 tribal communities are living in Adilabad, Warangal, Khammam, Mahabubnagar and Nalgonda District forests along the Krishna and Godavari river belts. Basically, tribes are symbiotic in nature. Their religious practices, social life and cultural values are unique and typical. Surprisingly, they are not just unique from non-tribal but also within themselves between one tribe to another tribe. Tribal dances, fairs, festivals etc. are very popular in Telangana and attract lakhs of visitors from tribal stock and Non-Tribal's too. These tribal fairs and festivals have their own importance in Telangana Tourism. Following are the few famous tribal festivals of importance to tourism 1. Sammakka Saralamma Jathara 2. NagobaJathara 3. Teej Festival 4. Salesvaram - Loddi fairs etc. 270
Apart from this, Telangana tourism has planned a tribal tourism circuit covering Laknavaram, Mulugu, Tadvai etc. areas in Warangal district. This is aimed at attracting tourists interested in experiencing the original flavours of tribal tourism. This is popular with foreign tourists who often travel to know more about local cultures. This circuit has been planned to develop under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme of Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. Box 11.2 Eco-Tourism Project at Kuntala Waterfall Kuntala Waterfall is located in Neredigonda mandal, Adilabad district, Telangana. In the Nirmal Division of Echoda (Kawal Tiger Reserve) Buffer Range, within the Reserve Forest, It is the highest waterfall in the state of Telangana with a height of 147 feet (45 meters) river width of 100 m and surrounded with lush green forests. It is a place to see and enjoy for tourists. Formed by Kadam River, Kuntala falls cascades down through (428) Four Hundred and Twenty Eight steps and can be seen as two separate adjacent falls after the peak rains. It is ideal for a one day outing from Hyderabad. There is a motorable road till the entry point of falls from where steps are available to reach bottom of falls. The falls is about 20 minutes (one way) walk from the entry point. Other famous waterfalls in the area are Pochera and Gayatri waterfalls. The Kuntala water fall area is surrounded by around 370 Ha of Forest. Visitors to Kuntala waterfalls pollute the forest by cooking food and partying. Due to this, plastic pollution is endemic in the forest due to empty water bottles, water packets and empty alcohol bottles and plastic covers thrown in the forest by tourists. Fire accidents are occurring in the forest due to cooking of food and the wild animal's habitat is being disturbed. Even though, the forest department is providing dustbins at entry of the water fall points and nearby hotels and checking the vehicles at the entry point for preventing alcohol consumption, people end up polluting the forest and disturbing the wildlife habitat. Despite forest officials warning visitors on the perils of drinking, 79 deaths have been recorded since the year 2000 primarily due to drinking and drowning. Forest department officials are warning the visitors of the danger of having a bath in the swirling water in drunken condition through erected sign boards, flexes and through loudspeakers and taking protective measures by engaging lifeguards. 12 persons have been hired as guide-cum-watchmen by the Forest department for protection of visitors. In addition under the eco-tourism project, the Forest Department has trained six members of the Kuntala Villagers as guides, who keep a close watch. Warning signs and mesh have been put up at accidentprone spots. As a result, only 2 deaths have been recorded in the current year, both of which have been attributed to slipping and falling during photography (Contributed by the Forest Department). 271
BOX 11.3 Nagoba Jathara in Adilabad District The Nagoba Jathara is an important tribal religious cum cultural festival. It is the second biggest tribal jathara celebrated by Mesaram clan of Gond tribes. It is conducted every year during December January months at Nagoba temple in Keslapur village of Adilabad district. This village is situated at a distance of about 20 Km from Utnoor which is the headquarters for ITDA. The jathara is usually a big draw among the Gond tribes locally as well as other tribes from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Maharashtra, Chattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh. However, due to the media publicity, the non-tribal devotees visiting the Nagoba temple during Jatharaas increased significantly in the last 15 years. Since tribals are nature lovers it has been decided to conduct a plastic carrier bag free jathara for the first time. A decision has been taken to this effect by the Project Officer of ITDA, Utnoor by imposing a ban on using plastic in and around the temple premises during the Jathara. As tribes have been educated on environmental issues on biodegradability of plastic and causing environmental pollution and health problems teak leaves are used as plates during their community feasts to avoid environmental pollution. This development is showing an indication of the tribal love and responsibility towards protection of nature and mother earth. It was also observed that the tribes undertake the pilgrimages in groups, on bullock carts or on foot though the journey takes a week's time or month depending upon the distance. The tribes are also very astute in estimating the fodder quantum required for bullocks, food requirements for themselves for the duration of travel. Since centuries, they have been tracing the same routes through forests and habitations with good sources of water for halts minimizing the environmental impact. It is a source of considerable pride that even with meagre availability of facilities the jathara is organized successfully as an environmental friendly event. Box 11.4 Medaram (Sammakka - Saralamma) Jathara in Warngal District The Medaram jathara is a synthesis of divinity and history. This is the biggest tribal festival in the country where nearly one crore people congregate from all over the country. This Jathara also called as Sammakka Saralamma jathara is celebrated once in two years during January February months in a small tribal village called Medaram in Warangal district. In view of its great religious significance the Government declared this festival as a state festival in the year 1996. Medaram is a remote place in the Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary, a part of Dandakaranya, the largest surviving forest belt in the Deccan. It is believed that after Kumbha Mela, the Medaram jathara attracts the largest number of devotees in the country. Until 1998, the only way to reach Medaram was by a bullock cart. In 1998 the state government laid a motorable road. Now, the jathara is provided with many facilities and infrastructure. TSRTC provides bus facilities during the jathara period along with private vehicles for transportation of visiting public. In addition to local tribals and non-tribals devotees many tribals from different states such as Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Maharashtra, Karnataka and parts of Jharkhand visit Medaram to celebrate the Jatara. However it is unfortunate that environmental conservation and community development have never been taken as the prerequisites for the betterment of tourism industry in this place especially through initiatives such as Plastic free Jathara, Forest protection, Water protection and Conservation, Public transport, Public sanitation etc. Pollution from air, water, soil, noise and light is causing damage to environment in Medaram during jathara with huge environmental implications including severe and irreparable damage to flora and fauna. Noise pollution from cars, buses and trucks, vehicle horns and loudspeakers etc. are damaging the serene environment of Medaram at an alarming rate and are extremely harmful for the environment. One of the leading priorities of government should be to manage and control the solid waste as well as prevention of the pollution of water, air and soil at Medaram during and after the jathara because of its growing popularity as a regular pilgrimage destination. 272
11.10 Adventure Tourism There are many places of interest for adventure tourism in telangana. A few of the popular places are Durgam Cheruvu, Moulali Hills, Khajaguda, Shamirpet Lake boulders, Narsapur Forest, Rachakonda Fort, Nagasumandar / Kotepally Lake, Ghattupal Hills, Koilkonda, Devarakonda, KapurallaGutta Nalgonda, Mallelathertham, PandavulaoGutta etc. As part of promotion of adventure tourism in the state, Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation has established a Rock Climbing School at Bhongir in association with Transcend Adventures Pvt. Ltd., Hyderabad, (a school where Poorna Malavath the youngest ever girl to climb Mt. Everest) was trained for soft adventure activities. Vikarabad is a charming place where one can derive pleasure from trekking. In fact, it is one of the favourite trekking spots for people who crave for adventure close to Hyderabad. Vikarabad is surrounded by many small hills, making it convenient for trekking and wild adventures in the Vikarabad forest. 11.11 Rural Tourism Telangana State has the ideal destinations for tourists in village settings. Rural Telangana has much to offer to the World. Rich in arts, crafts, traditions and culture, the newly carved State of Telangana is emerging as a major rural tourism hub especially for foreign tourists. Hence, the government is also taking up rural tourism projects in Pochampally, Gadwal, Nirmal, Cheriyal, Pemberthi etc. Pochampalli, a small village in Nalgonda district has slowly captured the market for pochampalli textiles. A unique method of tie-and-dye is used in the production of these sarees and this is known as 'ikat'. Gadwal is known for its world famous handloom jari sarees ("Gadwal sarees"). Gadwal Sarees have been very popular since 1930s. Metal ware is another area in which the artisans of Telangana excel at their craft, be it the brass sheet metal work of Pembarti in Warangal district, the silver filigree of Karimnagar or Bidriware of Hyderabad. The artistry stands out and has international acclaim and acceptance. The intention of promoting rural tourism is to develop experiential tourism attractions statewide for the socio-economic benefit of local communities, especially in order to strengthen inclusive economic growth while ensuring that increased socio-economic well-being does not cause permanent or long-term damage to the state's physical, cultural and environmental heritage. In this direction, rural tourism is regarded as part of both "rural development" and "sustainable development. 11.12 Pilgrimage Tourism Travel for spiritual or religious purpose has been in practice in our lands since time immemorial. Telangana has many beautiful pilgrimage destinations across the length and breadth of the state. These range from temples to churches, mosques and other venerated places of worship which are marvels of architecture. Among the other famous temples of the state are the Lakshminarasimha Swamy Temple - Yadadri, Gnana Saraswathi temple -Basara, Sitarama temple - Bhadrachalam, Jogulamba temple Alampur, Rajarajeswari temple Vemulavada, Anjaneya Swamy temple Kondagattu, Bhadrakali temple - Warangal, Chilkurbalaji temple, Ranga reddy, etc. Other important centers of worship are Mecca Masjid Hyderabad, Medak Church and Kolanupaka. In addition to these, there are many temples of local importance as well as the state level jatharas like Edupayala vanadurga matha jathara. All these are contributing a lot towards pilgrimage tourism in the state but have not contributed to the sensitivity of environmental impact during these mass gatherings. For instance, the Edupayala jathara is considered to be one of the largest congregations of devotees after the Sammakka-Sarakka Jathara in Telangana. Though it has been accorded the status of a state festival recently, it is evident from observing the last jathara that there are no facilities for pilgrims, to take a bath near the temple, no rooms are available for common pilgrims. Pilgrims carry their own food and water and throw the waste in the temple vicinity. 273
11.12.1 Godavari Pushkaralu River Godavari is one of the longest rivers (1465 km) of South India and enters Telangana State at Basara in Adilabad district. Its total length in the Telangana and A.P states is about 770 km. Kadam, Pranahita, Manjeera, Manair, Indravathi and Sabari are its important tributaries. The river confluences with Bay of Bengal near Antharvedi and Bendamurlanka in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh State. Godavari Pushkaralu is celebrated once in every 12 years and this year (2015) the importance is Maha Pushkaralu which is repeated after every 144 years which has been considered as very auspicious. This th th year the dates were fixed from 14 July to 25 July 2015 i.e., 12 days. It is a normal practice that apart from bathing in the river, people offer Pinda Pradhanam' and also different articles like milk, ghee, flowers, fruits, hairs, coins, ashes of departed soul, burning of lamps, cloths etc., for the river and treat it as a physical form of Goddess. Due to the religious importance of the pushkaralu, particularly for mass bathing by people on large scale, the Govt. of Telangana has made elaborate arrangements along the Godavari river at all strategic places. In view of such, large scale activity along the entire river, particularly at locations where temples, pilgrim centers and historical places, it was expected that the water quality may be affected due to mass bathing. Hence, Telangana State Pollution Control Board monitored the water quality of Godavari river at all strategic locations for assessing the change in water quality during Maha Pushkaralu. Monitoring Locations Though the Govt. of Telangana identified 115 Ghats in 5 districts along Godavari River for mass bathing by public in the state, the Telangana State Pollution Control Board (TSPCB) selected all important pilgrim centers on top priority for monitoring of water quality in addition to the places wherever mass bathing is expected on large scale basis. A pre and post monitoring schedule was fixed for all the locations as follows for assessment of water quality before and after the pushkaralu. Schedule Pre monitoring on 10.07.2015 MahaPushkaralu monitoring for 12 days. From 14.07.2015 to 25.07.2015 Post monitoring schedule on 30.07.2015 Points to be monitored Bathing Ghat Upstream of bathing Ghat Bathing Ghat Downstream of bathing Ghat Bathing Ghat Weather Due to drought like situation prevailing during the monsoon period in Telangana state, there was little flow th rd observed in river Godavari. However, due to rains from 18 to 23 July 2015 in the catchment of Indravathi and Pranahita the tributaries of Godavari River, there was a flow into the Godavari River during the pushkaralu. Further, a low pressure in the Bay of Bengal which crossed the coast of the Orissa state also th th caused heavy down pour and Godavari River received substantial flow of water from 20 to 25 July 2015. Water quality evaluation of Godavari River after pushkaralu The post pushkaralu water quality monitoring was carried on 30.07.2015 with an intention to observe the mass bathing impact on water quality of Godavari River. At most of the locations it was indicated that the values of BOD have attained normal levels i.e., below 2.0 mg/l. The maximum limit for T.Coli for outdoor mass bathing (organized) as per the water quality criteria is 2500 per 100ml. Similarly, for F.Coli the maximum is 500. It was observed in the post pushkaralu monitoring the T.Coli and F.Coli values are within the limits. 274
It was estimated that more than one crore people have taken holy dip in all the bathing ghats in the Godavari River during pushkaralu. It can be concluded that due to substantial flow of floodwater in the Ghats from Kaleshwaram onwards upto Bhadrachalam Ghat during the days of pushkaralu, the impact of mass bathing on river quality was minimized. However there is impact of mass bathing along the Ghats of Basara, Kandakurthy, Dharmapuri, Godavarikhani where water flow was meagre. 13.0 12.0 11.0 10.0 9.0 8.0 7.0 6.0 5.0 4.0 3.0 2.0 During ------- 6.0 5.5 5.0 4.5 4.0 3.5 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 ------- During ph 9.5 9.0 8.5 8.0 7.5 7.0 6.5 6.0 5.5 5.0-8.5 During Source: Water Quality Monitoring Report on Godavari Figure 11.2 showing ph, DO, and BOD levels during, before and after Godavari Pushkaralu 275
11.13 Heritage Tourism Hyderabad was ruled by the Qutub Shahis, and the Nizams which shaped its history. The city is noted for its heritage monuments like Charminar and Golconda but also other monuments like Hayat Bakhshi Begum Mosque & Sarai at Hayathnagar, Shaikpet Sarai and Mosque, Cannon Museum at Monsieur Raymond's Obelisk, Moosarambagh, Paigah Tombs etc. Similarly, outside Hyderabad there are many sites and monuments like Buddhist Monastic Complex, Dhulikatta, Medieval Fort, Jagityal, Group of Temples, Manthani, Group of Temples, Nagunuru, Ramagiri Fort in Karimnagar District, Buddhist Monastic Complex, Nelakondapalli, Nizamkonda Fort, Beachpalli, Jain Temple, Gollattagudi, Medieval Fort, Devarakonda, Medieval Fort - Rachakonda, Koulas Fort Koulas, Zafargadh Fort, Zafargadh etc. For the development and management of heritage sites and protected monuments, the Government has th undertaken the works of conservation and restoration under the 13 Finance Commission Grants and bringing the best conservation, restoration and management practices for protected monuments, heritage sites etc. In addition, under Central Financial Assistance, Sound & Light Shows in Warangal Fort, and Eligandal Fort in Karimnagar are implemented. 11.14 Health Tourism Travelling to spas & Ayurveda treatment centres or any other modern health care facilities for treatment, rejuvenation or any other medical purposes is called as 'health tourism' or 'medical tourism'. By now, Hyderabad also became a favourite destination in Telangana for health tourism for many complex surgeries like cosmetic surgery, joint replacement surgery, cardiac surgery etc.at a lower cost in comparison to other destinations. This gives great momentum for the hospitals in particular and tourism in general. Many specialized hospitals like Apollo, Care, L.V. Prasad Eye Institute, Yashoda, Global and a few medical tourism operators have already come up to promote medical tourism in the state. Availability of world class medical and health care facilities in Hyderabad hospitals and Joint Commission International accreditations for many of them have ensured that Telangana has a good share from this segment. Factors which helped the city to become a favourite Health tourism destination are excellent quality of Health care in low cost, approximately 30% to 70% lower than the costs in the US, contemporary and state of the art infrastructure and high end technological support in hospitals, doctors, physicians and surgeons of international fame and repute supported by trained and experienced paramedical force, less waiting time and personalized service, therapeutic healing of the body, mind and soul, easy accessibility to Hyderabad through Rajiv Gandhi International Air Port and finally pro government as well as corporate policies are helping in this process. There are some resorts in and around the outskirts of Hyderabad city which offer health related services. Pragati resort, located in a 2,500 acres manmade eco-village is considered as a naturopathy resort. Several other resorts in Hyderabad also offer various treatments for their customers such as naturopathy or Ayurvedic treatments as shown in Table 11.8. 11.15 MICE - Tourism Table 11.8 showing resorts providing health related services Major Resorts Pragati Resort Leonia Holistic Destination Celebrity Resort Health care facilities offered Naturopathy, Yoga, Meditation Naturopathy, Hydrotherapy Ayurveda MICE is an acronym which stands for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions. Over the last two decades, the MICE industry has been growing in Hyderabad as a significant market segment of tourism 276
industry and is an important contributor to state's economy. It not only gives a boost to economy in the form of income generation, but also creates huge employment opportunities in related hospitality services like food & beverages, accommodation, conventions service, transportation, tourism and entertainment. International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) statistics indicate that a total of 400,000 conferences and exhibitions are held worldwide annually. India, however, accounts for less than 1% of this pie. Hyderabad is even lower in the list. But, a tremendous potential exists for this segment. The HICC (Hyderabad International Convention Centre) is the largest convention centre in Hyderabad city and amongst the largest in the country. It is striving to drive the initiative of attracting large size conventions to the city. Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, located at Shamshabad near Hyderabad is adjudged as one of the best airports in the world. It connects Hyderabad, the heart of Telangana with other national and international cities and capitals. The airport offers visa-on-arrival facility for citizens from more than 140 countries, a boon for overseas tourists. Since most of the conventions need delegates to fly from national or international locations, the presence of a world class airport, with good connectivity to the convention centers and hotels, is seen as an essential infrastructural element to attract international conventions to any destination. Hyderabad has an advantage over other cities in the country and in the state in this regard. A decade ago, Hyderabad used to host about 12-14 conventions per year and this number was expected to grow at 20% year on year with the increase in industry segments. With the formation of HCVB (Hyderabad Conventions Promotions Bureau), the growth is almost more than 10 times now over the decade and the number of conventions were around 78 in 2015. Because of the additional conventions that the city attracted the tourism and MICE resulted in improved employment. However tourism does not bring only benefits, as there are some drawbacks also which need to be accounted for. With large influx of delegate traffic, the pollution and environmental degradation due to the carbon emissions from their inward/outward and local travel as also due to the disposal of resources used for their stay and consumption has an impact on the environment. 11.16 Safe and Responsible Tourism Responsible tourism is an approach with a specific objective of minimizing adverse effects and maximizing socio-economic and environmental benefits in management of tourism activities and destinations. In short, Responsible tourism aims at sustainable development. Many environmental activities are being taken up by Responsible Tourism initiatives of Telangana tourism units such as making eco-friendly bags with non-woven fabric and paper and efforts are on to make sensitive tourist destinations plastic-free. Cleaning groups of women have been set up in the many tourism destinations like Pochampalli with the help of community participation. Energy management, waste management, organic farming and green practices have been encouraged at all possible destinations especially in ecologically sensitive units and the efforts of those who try to follow these are duly recognized with suitable tourism awards. 11.17 Impacts The outcomes of tourism development in an area can be described as the impacts of tourism. The impacts can be either positive or negative. It needs to be understood depending on the nature of tourism development at a particular destination. For example, rise in income levels, growth in employment opportunities, multiplier effect, poverty alleviation etc. can be considered as the positive impact of tourism development. Whereas, the flip side is the negative effects such as replacement/displacement/rehabilitation effect, demonstration effect, issues of carrying capacity of the destinations, contamination of water, noise pollution, air pollution, safety & security issues etc. 277
It needs to be reiterated that tourism is an integral part of the environment. Its relationship with the environment is complex. Interdependence between tourism and environment is complementary to each other and inevitable. Hence, ecology and environment of tourism locations definitely get influenced through development of tourism. The magnitude of development that occurs in the form of airports, railway lines, roads, hotels, resorts, amusement parks etc. has a direct effect on the environment. Adverse Impacts The demand for hotels, restaurants and other infra-structure and super-structure facilities and amenities in the tourist areas are growing enormously day by day and such developments are causing great stress on the natural environment of the destinations and resources. With large influx of delegate traffic, the pollution and environmental degradation due to the carbon emissions from their inward/outward and local travel as also due to the disposal of resources used for their stay and consumption. Development of tourist infrastructure especially in natural settings distorting the natural beauty. Tourist activities like trekking and camping in forests, hills and forts causing environmental pollution. Wild life population in the national parks and sanctuaries is getting affected with the anthropogenic activities. Big groups and mass tourism especially unorganized and independent groups spoiling the scenic beauty of the locales. High rise buildings in the form of tourist infrastructure damaging the ecology. Development of tourism in sensitive zones often leading to pollution, waste discharges into water bodies, contamination, soil erosion, natural habitat loss, associated loss in biodiversity and increased pressure on endangered species. This is seen more in the ecologically fragile areas. Tourism planning is giving less and sometimes no importance to the pattern of tourism development that harms ecology and environment. For example, development of hotels, projects without taking into consideration of issues like deforestation, soil erosion, and sewerage treatment which has a direct impact on the cycle of the ecosystem. Regular commute of tourist vehicles is causing air pollution, noise pollution in many serene places and the aquatic activities of tourists are causing water pollution. To meet the expected demand of tourists the natural landscape and open spaces are utilized to develop tourism infrastructure, resulting in the stagnation of rain water and erosion of soil at some places. The adverse impact of tourism activities is very much evident in certain areas where the level of consumption of visitors is more than the environment's ability to cope with the size of consumption. Also, a general observation which can be constructively viewed while implementing tourism projects to ensure focus on hygiene, sanitation, solid waste management and better public amenities at popular tourist destinations. 11.17.2 Impact of Ganesh Idol Immersion on Hussain Sagar Lake Over the last decade, the depth of Hussainsagar has come down to 40 feet from 60 ft. In fact, in certain areas the depth of the once `proud' lake is just about 20-30 feet and while environmental experts attribute a fraction of this damage to the consistent flow of sewage into the lake, they insist that it is primarily due to the large-scale Ganesh immersions that happen every year. Immersion of idols of Lord Ganesh is carried out every year i.e., either in August or September in Hyderabad. Thousands of these idols are immersed in different water bodies in Hyderabad such as lakes, ponds, canals in and around Hyderabad and but the majority are immersed in the Hussainsagar lake. More than 50 per cent of immersions happen in the Lake 278