Message from a Singaporean Tourist to Local and District authorities, 2019
De : KWAN RONG Soh <sohkwanrong@gmail.com>
Date: mer. 13 mars 2019 à 11:04
Subject: Waste Management Problem in Gokarna
To: <ddswo.karwar@gmail.com>, <adtourismkarwar@gmail.com>, <directortourismkarnataka@gmail.com>
Cc: <dckarwar@gmail.com>, <ceo_zp_kwr@nic.in>, <acokumta@gmail.com>
Addressed to: Tourism Department, Government of Karnataka
Subject: Waste Management Problem in Gokarna
I am a visitor to Gokarna and I am writing because the pollution to the environment here is
extremely disturbing.
Gokarna has a good location by the sea. The sunset is beautiful, the beach is long with
fine soft sand. There are interesting things to do like riding a camel on the beach or
visiting the holy spring at Ram Temple.
However, the enjoyment of this place is spoilt when there is rubbish everywhere, on the
street, in the drains, on the beach, and even at the temple. The river that runs along
Ramateertha Road is so dirty its water is black, and it stinks. In the morning and evening, it
seems like it’s the time for burning rubbish and there is no escape from the smoke of
burning it.
Clearly there needs to be better waste management in Gokarna. Here are a few measures
that can be taken.
1) Put More Dustbins – Empty Them Regularly
I saw that bins were few and often full. There needs to be more dustbins and regular waste
collection, especially at the busy spots.
2) Ban Littering and Dumping – Employ Cleanup Marshals to Enforce the Ban
There should be signs to remind people that it is an offence to litter and offenders will be
penalised with a fine.
Enforcement officers (like the cleanup marshals in Mumbai) can make sure people use the
bins by issuing a fine of 10 rupees to anyone caught littering.
3) Mandate the Use of Septic Tanks for Hotels and Any Establishment that has a
Toilet
Along Ramateertha Road, there is a river so dirty its water is black and it smells
disgusting. I’m sure it is a breeding ground for mosquitoes and all sorts of disease. Tourists
avoid it.
I spoke to some locals who told me that homes, guesthouses and other businesses along
the river often do not have a septic tank and human waste is discharged there. During the
monsoon, the river flows out to the main beach, contaminating the beach and sea.
Homes, hotels and businesses that have a toilet must be made to install septic tanks and
not simply discharge human waste into the river. Enforcement action must be taken
against anyone who does not comply.
Adjust Budget Allotment to Match Visitor Numbers
According to a few people I spoke to, the large influx of tourists from other parts of the
country, in particular over the weekends and during festivals, is a major contributor to the
waste management problem.
The existing infrastructure that supports the local population is just not able to cope with
tourists that number in the thousands every week and the accompanying waste that they
generate.
It would make sense to adjust the resources allocated in a year for waste management in
Gokarna to take into account the high visitor numbers. Only then can there be more bins,
more frequent waste collection, tighter enforcement of laws, and more to improve the
situation.
Appeal to Improve the Waste Management in Gokarna
I was impressed by the improvements to the main beach area, in comparison to how it was
on my last visit more than two years ago. It is noticeably cleaner, the bins are more
conspicuous, seats for resting have been installed and there are lifeguards on patrol. I felt
very much more welcome as a tourist.
This, I hear, is due to the efforts of your department in awarding a tender to keep that area
of the beach clean and it is very commendable.
I believe that it is in the power of your department to take the necessary and effective
steps to make Gokarna a more pleasant place to visit for tourists and look forward to
witnessing the improvements when I visit again soon.
Yours Faithfully,
Soh Kwan Rong (Mr)
Concerned Tourist from Singapore
ANSWERS
——— Forwarded message ———
From: <adtourismkarwar@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 4 Nov 2019 at 11:28
Subject: Re: Waste Management Problem in Gokarna
To:<sohkwanrong@gmail.com>
I am very much thankful to your kind suggestion in this regard madam. I will bring it
to the notice of the District Tourism Development Committee and try to implement all
your suggestions in phase by phase. On behalf of the Dept, i am also eagerly waiting
for your suggestions in other aspects of development administration.
thanking you,
Purushothama. S
DD Tourism
On Mon, 4 Nov 2019, 1:56 pm KWAN RONG Soh, <sohkwanrong@gmail.com> wrote:
From: Nagendra V Gaonkar <nagendravgaonkar@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 13 Mar 2019, 10:53 pm
Subject: Re: Waste Management Problem in Gokarna
To: KWAN RONG Soh <sohkwanrong@gmail.com>
Hi KWAN,
I appreciate your Environmental concern, i think you know that i am a Environmental
Engineer in Govt of Karnataka, and I have made a By-law for gokarna ‘s solid waste
management which is approved from gokarna gram panchayat (local body). This Bylaw
included all the points which u have mentioned in your mail. So it is now gram
panchayath’ s part to implement the By-law. I think AC Kumta is trying hard to bring
improvement in gokarna, u can consult her. Email id acokumta@gmail.com
Regards
Nagendra Gaonkar
Environmental Engineer
Tmc Maddur
Mandya district
Karnataka
Appeal from a Russian Tourist to the Local authorities, 2017
PETITION
We, undersigned, locals and tourists of Gokarna, MOST OF WHOM COME TO
GOKARNA FOR YOGA AND HEALING, are expressing discontent and resentment over:
1. the dreadful practice of several cafés, restaurants, shacks & guesthouses, as
well as of Gram Panchayat workers and general public, on THE MAIN BEACHES and
other places where DIFFERENT TYPES OF PLASTIC AND OTHER RUBBISH ARE
DUMPED AND BURNED.
It is now well established that a wide range of poisonous substances, capable of
causing different diseases, including cancer, arise from open burning such as furans,
dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated napthalenes, chlorinated
benzenes, polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), Halogenated Phenols, Brominated and
Mixed Halogenated Dioxins, Polychlorinated dibenzothiophenes (PCDBTs),
Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans
(PCDFs), numerous volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and heavy metals including
lead, cadmium and mercury.
Many of these chemicals are known to be persistent (very resistant to degradation in
the environment), bio accumulative (build up in the tissues of living organisms) and toxic.
These three properties make them arguably the most problematic chemicals to
which natural systems can be exposed. Some of the emitted chemicals are carcinogenic
and some are endocrine disruptors.
Others such as sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) as well as fine
particulate matter, have been associated with adverse impacts on respiratory health.1
Mostly, burning occurs late in the night, so during that period people have to inhale
poisonous air with the disgusting burning smell instead of the fresh marine air.
THEREFORE, THE GUESTS AND VISITORS OF GOKARNA (AS WELL AS THE
LOCAL POPULATION) RECEIVE POISONOUS AIR AND POTENTIALLY THE
DISEASES INSTEAD OF HEALINGNESS OR HOLINESS!!!
Because local authorities do not remove rubbish from where it gets accumulated, nor
notify people for the compliance of the waste management rules, rubbish is burned in situ,
Because also local authority fails to impose penalties on the criminals of such violation,
We, undersigned, request that the local authorities:
1. take immediate action against those who burn rubbish
2. provide means to take the rubbish in due manner ensuring that part of it is given to
recycling.
3. organize and commission some legal body to control and impose strict fines on
those who dump and burn any kind of rubbish.
We rest our hopes upon your prudence and looking forward to living and healing in
clean and holly Gokarna with pure air.
Note – The State might lose an important revenue from tourism due to its negligence.
To spread the word about Gokarna pollution on the web does not take much effort and
the impact may be economically disastrous.
Distributed pamphlet to the population
Also a group of French tourists took the charge of changing the usual waste track and they venture a new path
https://www.khushiparisara.in/2018/11/19/mangala-team-changing-waste-patterns/
