Port Blair, Dec 13: In his recent visit to Delhi, Mr. M. Vinod, President, AATO has submitted a representation to Mr. Amit Shah, Union Home Minister and Mr. Kishan Reddy, Union Tourism Minister to permit new water sports activities in A&N Islands.
Water Sports activities play a vital role in promoting tourism in these remote islands. These activities are also a major source of employment for the local youth of these islands. However, in the recent past, there have been multiple administrative issues with the permissions for these activities. An expression of interest for running these activities was being drafted, but the same has not been feasible.
For the last one year, permissions for all activities are granted temporarily for a period of three months. Obtaining permissions is a tedious process and takes months to complete. This has led to the closure of activities in peak tourist season. Due to this, not only the tourists are deprived but the locals are also rendered unemployed.
For the same reason no new permissions for any kind of activity has been granted in the last one year, many unemployed youths who have purchased boats and set up Scuba Dive Centers are under the immense pressure of bank loans, staff salaries, and other financial hardships. Tourism has been badly affected due to COVID in the last 2 years leading to financial and mental stress of the stakeholders who are mostly youths. Now that tourism has restarted, their hopes are being shattered due to permission issues for running water sports activities.
