By our special correspondent
New Delhi: Indian tourism ministry has announced a set of strict rules for permitting tours to indigenous people and tribal areas. Government has given six guidelines and will get undertaking from tour operators that no night visits to these areas, ban on photography in villages or local markets, no physical proximity with the visitors and no permission for any kind of amusement or entertainment by members of the vulnerable tribal groups for the foreign tourists.
The tour operators will also have to adhere to a new code of conduct. The guidelines prohibit the tour operators from posting photographs, videos and write-ups on their websites regarding the tribal groups.
It may be mentioned that the Indian government restricted contact of foreigners with tribal and indigenous communities after the horrible form of ecotourism came on international media that foreigners were offered ‘human safari’ of primarily vulnerable tribal groups as they were animals. After this incident larger groups were restricted and permission from magistrates of respective area was compulsory. However, foreign tourists faced problems when district magistrates were not present in their respective headquarters. To overcome this problem, the new cell within ministry has been formed that will grant required permissions within 48 hours to those tour operators who will give undertaking to follow six conditions set by the government and mentioned above.
