Friday, December 13, 2024
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Protectionism versus tourism

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Adelbert Nongrum, MLA of Shillong North constituency feels that the Assembly debates on illegal extraction and transportation of coal were not important enough. His contention is that issues such as the setting up of entry/exit gates at Byrnihat and other vantage points and the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA) should have been the priorities as these are important to ‘protect’ the indigenous people of the state. The point is that the Dorbar Shnong already exercise the right to admit or not admit a resident into their localities within their jurisdictions and they are the first contact point at the ground level without the need for government machinery to be entangled in the process. In fact the Dorbar Shnong should be empowered to check the antecedents of all residents within their jurisdiction. They would be able to manage things better and more efficiently and reduce officialdom. Of course the Government would need to compensate the Dorbar for its time and effort in carrying out that process.

The Inner Line Permit (ILP) which many see as an instrument to counter illegal migration to the State would be untenable because Meghalaya is a transit state. Besides, there is the paradox of Meghalaya promoting itself as a tourist destination even while a section of xenophobic politicians and pressure groups want to apply every instrument under the sun to make the business of tourists entering Meghalaya a tough one. Many would be deterred from entering the state if they have to be looked askance as illegal migrants when they actually belong to this country and also want to see another part of their own country.

Ironically, while the people of West Khasi Hills have rued the slowdown of tourism which has resulted in guest houses remaining empty since March this year is likely to slow down tourism even further.  Tourists have confided that the idea of restricting entry into a part of the country is anathema to many self respecting Indians. It’s equivalent to carrying an inter-state visa. How many tourists actually visit Nagaland,  Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur for that matter? What are the earnings of these states from tourism? In Meghalaya the livelihoods created by tourism are perhaps the only sustainable ventures since tourism requires a rich bio-diversity, protected forests, greenery and cleanliness. Tourism also allows the state to sell its culture and heritage to visitors and allows them to tell their stories to the world. Unfortunately there is a disconnect between tour operators and xenophobic pressure groups that spread paranoia and will never allow the local people to fight out the demons using their indigenous strengths without being force-fed with fear of the outsider. How long protectionism?

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