Andhra Pradesh: Boat Operators Oppose Environmental Levy to Papikondalu
3 Dec 2024 11:39 PM IST
Boat operators call the ₹2,500–₹4,000 environmental charge burdensome, urging authorities to reconsider amid rising costs. (DC File Image)
VIJAYAWADA: Boat operators have stopped taking tourists by ships along Godavari River to Papikondalu for the past two days, protesting against levy of environmental maintenance charge ranging from ₹2,500 to ₹4,000 depending on the capacity of the boats that enter the eco-sensitive Papikondalu National Park.
The operators contend that they are already paying ₹100 per head to the AP Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) towards development and maintenance of jetties from where they take tourists. They expressed concern that the additional environmental levy will be an additional burden on them.
There are over 30 tourism boats operating from the ferry points of Gandi Pochamma in Rajamahendravaram and Pochavaram in Bhadrachalam.
Boat operators maintain that ₹1,000 that each tourist pays to travel from Gandi Pochamma ferry point to Papikondalu is in fact insufficient in meeting their expenses towards offering breakfast, lunch and snacks to tourists, maintenance of boats, and paying wages to their staff. They point out that APTDC is charging them ₹100 per tourist. This should be inclusive of the environmental charge.
A boat operator said, “After a gap of several months, we got permission to operate boats to Papikondalu. Now, forest authorities want to impose environmental charges. This will be an additional burden on us, as we cannot collect the same from tourists.”
Boat operators say they got a stay order from the AP High Court on levying the environmental charges. They wondered how foresters could still collect this levy.
Forest authorities say tourists have been dumping huge plastic waste and garbage in the river, river banks and on roads passing through the pristine forests. To check this, they have imposed a ban on single-use plastics, including plastic bottles, apart from prohibiting liquor, cigarettes, beedis and matchboxes.
Rajamahendravaram conservator of forests B.N.N. Murthy said, “As parts of Papikonda National Park are littered with huge quantities of plastic waste and garbage, we have to take up cleaning operations by engaging people. This is the reason we are collecting the environmental levy.”
The conservator pointed out that they deploy forest patrol vehicles and create awareness among tourists not to spoil the environs in the Papikonda National Park, as this may harm wildlife. They have banned smoking as dry litter around the forest may catch fire from lit buts.
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