THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Mullaperiyar controversy has badly affected the peak tourism season of Kerala, with the Thekkady-Munnar circuit almost completely erased from the itinerary of travellers and the rest of the tourist hotspots also feeling the pinch slowly.The cancellations in hotels and resorts in the Thekkady belt are increasing with each passing day, and the Kumily town remains one of the worst hit owing to the stand-off on the Mullaperiyar issue. The violence erupted over the Mullaperiyar issue in border areas after the onset of the current peak tourism season has sent an unwelcome message to the tourists, both domestic and foreign. “We don’t actually know what could be done now and how to retrieve the losing season, amid the volatile situation. Now the Mullaperiyar issue has affected Kerala’s tourism sector in an unimaginable proportion. It may affect the IT and other sectors of the state as well,” said Tourism Minister A P Anil Kumar.“The issue is so sensitive as it involves the fear for life of 30 lakh people. But, at the same time, the reverses in the tourism front will take a lot of time to be put back on rail,” he told ‘Express.’Thekkady and Kumily areas, which should have been a beehive of tourists, remain deserted compared to the past season. Prohibitory orders have been issued and the border has been sealed. The best indicator is the scenario at the KTDCs Lake Palace, situated in the middle of the Mullaperiyar lake. Out of the six rooms, including a suite, in the summer residence of the earstwhile Travancore royalty, there was just one occupant on Tuesday. “On Monday alone, there were 12 cancellations. That too, including a group which had paid `2.5 lakh as advance for bookings for four days in January,” K J Johnson, manager of Lake Palace, said.In the Periyar House with 44 rooms and Aranya Nivas with 30 rooms also the situation is no different . “Lot of cancellations are taking place. A French national has specifically mentioned in his e-mail on Wednesday that he is cancelling his trip on account of the Mullaperiyar issue,’’ another top official said. “No one is coming for boat ride in the lake either. Most of the trips have been cancelled and a namesake trip is run only in the evening,” Johnson said.“The business has dipped by at least 90 per cent after trouble broke out. Hundreds of bookings have been cancelled. The situation is grave,’’ said Shine Varghese, proprietor of Mount Sinai Tourist Home, Kumily. “It is indeed an unexpected setback to Kerala during the tourism season. We are watching the situation. With the intervention of the Supreme Court and also the Central Government now, a ray of hope is coming. We may be able to overcome the situation soon,” Tourism Secretary T K Manoj kumar said. “However, the Kovalam-Alappuzha-Kochi-Kumarakom circuit is not affected in a big way,’’ said a key official of Hotel Samudra, Kovalam.
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