Kundapur: Apathy Shrinks Maravanthe’s Glory
 
Pics: Aishwarya Beejady
Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (PS)
 
Kundapur, Jan 5: While the states like Goa and Kerala are concentrating more on the developments related to tourist sector, in Karnataka the tourism sector is much more neglected.

Goa secured the honor of being called as ‘heaven of tourists’, likewise Kerala is labeled as ‘Gods own country’. In both the states tourism has been given utmost priority and it has been a source of income for many. Though Karnataka possesses splendid tourist spots and over 350 kms of long seashore, there have been very little efforts to preserve it.

The book published by state tourism department describes Karnataka’s tourism plans in which the state has been divided to various zones and developmental possibilities in each zone have been mentioned. It has also called for private- public collaboration. Many projects details are also printed in the book. But unfortunately the plans are limited to the book alone and very few of them are realized so far.

The pristine beauty of ‘Maravanthe beach’ is one such tourist spot which is losing its glory solely due to apathy of concerned department. Though many developmental projects to improve the beach have been proposed they have not touched the endless sand of Maravanthe beach.
 
Just 4 years ago the district administration had drafted a plan for the development of both Malpe and Maravanthe beaches. As Malpe is very close to the district center it was developed to some extent.

But Maravanthe failed to see  the development. A blueprint was prepared in view of developing a site belonging to tourism department and a parking space near to beech. Hefty amount of Rs 80 lac also was released to tourism department to carry out the work swiftly.
 
Nirmithi Kendra was assigned the responsibility of completing the work, last year some advance money was also released. But the same condition still prevails there. The condition of the earmarked parking space is also pathetic. Once plantation department planned to have a full-fledged garden, garbage bin, water tank, water fountain, but now even electricity pole is not in working condition. A lavatory which was built for tourists’ convenience is now turned as the property of others.  The landscape is also marred by Plastic bottles and waste materials making it look untidy.

However it is an unanswered question as to why the developmental projects have not been implemented at the beach eventhough the required money was already released for the readied project.
 
With all these apathy Maravanthe beach’s glory is still kept in dark.