Tourism hit for want of a council

KOCHI: The projects and funds are available, but the District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) does not have an executive council. It has been ten months since the DTPC has been functioning without an executive council, which has the mandate to formulate  and implement tourism projects. The executive council has not been reconstituted after the new government came to power. There are allegations that lack of an executive council was affecting implementation of various projects in the city and in the different parts of Ernakulam.It is the executive council, which consists of MP, MLA, representatives of political parties, police department and socio-cultural organizations, and government nominees, that formulates tourism projects for the district. “An executive council is essential for the implementation of different projects being carried out in the district by the DTPC. Unfortunately, no steps have been taken to reconstitute the council after the new government came to power last year,” said M P Sivdathan, president of Kumbalangi Model Tourism Society and a former member of executive council of Ernakulam DTPC.“The very idea of DTPC is to formulate and implement tourism projects with the involvement of the local bodies. Representatives of local bodies presented their proposals at the monthly meeting of the council. Projects suitable for each panchayat or municipality are framed after discussions,” said Sivadathan. “Reconstitution of executive council is inevitable as major projects are being implemented in and around the city by the DTPC. This include beautification of Fort Kochi and a component project for Kumbalangi tourism village,” Sivadathan added.However, DTPC secretary Jayasankar said  that lack of an executive council has not affected implementation of projects. “Reconstituting the council is a government policy. It has to be decided by the government,” he said. He also said that the government has approved all the projects submitted by Ernakulam DTPC last year.When contacted, Tourism Minister A P Anilkumar said that the council would be reconstituted after the  Piravom by-election. “Such councils have been reconstituted in almost all other districts. The election was declared while the government was preparing for the same in Ernakulam district,” Anilkumar said.