Coastal conservation and management a must:
Arugam Bay, a tourism hotspot
Disna Mudalige
The southeast coast of Sri Lanka gleams with new vigour and light
with the dawn of peace. This area which people dared not to go for
decades due to terrorist threats is now wide open for both local and
international tourists. It has become a tourism ‘hotspot’ with its wide
array of tourist attractions. However, the need of a well planned
coastal zone management is strongly felt with the tourism expansion in
this coastal stretch.
Arugam Bay beach |
The coastal stretch from Pottuvil to Panama includes bays famous for
surfing and bathing, coastal waters rich with fish resources, lagoons
providing ideal niches for prawns, crabs and lobsters, rich mangrove
stands, wide sandy beaches for beach lovers and tall sand dunes for
those who seek adventures.
Arugam Bay
The tourist season in Arugam Bay in the Southeast coast starts in
March with the favourable windy atmosphere for surfing. Arugam Bay is
one of the best surfing areas in Asia. As estimated about 100,000
tourists visit Arugam Bay during the season which extends till October.
The area is mainly targeted for the development of community based
tourism in order to pass on the income of tourism to the local
community. Tourism in the area connects with fishermen, farmers and taxi
drivers etc and all of them work as a single network. Fishing,
agriculture and tourism are the main three income avenues for the
residents in this area.
Since tourism did not flourish until very recent, the majority of
people have been traditionally engaging in fishing. About 90 percent of
the population in the area involves in the fishing industry.
Sharing the beach
Arugam Bay is a narrow strip. Within this narrow land about 1500
fishermen engage in fishing while over 50 hoteliers are running their
businesses. In fact the beach is packed out. As a result, not only
fishermen and hoteliers but also the tourists who come to enjoy the
natural beauty of the area face a number of difficulties.
Watching the sun rise in Arugam Bay beach |
Arugam Bay Tourism Association Chairman M H A Raheem stressed the
need of a well organized tourism plan to coordinate relevant
stakeholders. “Arugam Bay area consists nearly 350 guest rooms. In
addition homestay facilities are also available in this area. Tourists
prefer a clean and unpolluted beach. However fishermen are putting all
their garbage, dry fish and fishing nets on beach.
Therefore tourists sometimes go back since they do not like the beach
and complain about poor health standards. It is hard to run fishing
activities and tourism activities in one place. Moreover tourists who
come to this place have no proper way of obtaining information.
Attention should be paid to provide them correct guidance,” he noted.
At the same time fishermen in the area also undergo many hardships.
They require an information centre and a satellite system to ensure the
safety of their lives since their job is risky.
M H M Samsudeen and Kalideen are traditional fishermen in Arugam Bay.
They voiced out their concerns over the proposed alterations in the
area. “Our fishing huts will be removed and arrangements are made to
move us to the lagoon. We have been here for generations.
This is the most convenient place for us to do our job. We do not see
why we should suffer unnecessarily to accommodate other people. Already
our space to park the boats comfortably is being taken over by the
hoteliers” they expressed. Kalideen said that he has received numerous
help through acquaintances built up with tourists. “We like tourists and
they also like to mingle with us. It would be better if all people can
stay together” he remarked.
Fishermen in the area |
Community Coordinate Committee meetings were held in every month
during past several years to discuss the matters pertaining to people in
this area while deciding on development measures collectively. But
unfortunately this action has also stopped recently due to
misunderstandings among the members.
Lagoon and mangroves
Mangroves in the Southeast coast are a heaven for aquatic fauna,
flora and birds. Preservation of these habitats for the entire community
and future generation is an imperative task. Obtaining an Environment
Protection License (EPL) issued by the Central Environment Authority (CEA)
is essential to carry out any development project or construction in
these ecosystems.
Nevertheless unauthorized constructions have also been taking place
in Arugam Bay. Prawn and crab populations in the lagoon are also
affected due to new constructions.
Small Fisheries Federations of the area have expressed their
dissatisfaction over these emerging constructions since all the cement
and other building materials are washed away to the lagoon. It was also
found out that many hoteliers are operative in the area without the
permission of the government.
Sand dunes
Another key attraction of the Southeast coast is the sand dunes. Sand
dunes are wind-blown accumulations of sand which are distinctive from
adjacent landforms such as beaches and tidal flats. They provide shelter
and much needed protection to coastal vegetation and dwellings. Ravana
Reula plant variety is commonly seen in these sand dunes.
CEA Ampara Regional Office Deputy Director M A C Najeeb pointed out
that a sand dune forest closed to the Arugam Bay contributes to maintain
the surfing spot.
“It also provides protection to the surfing area. Yet the cutting of
forest is often seen. Some outsiders also attempt to encroach this area
while expanding their lands time to time” he observed.
Buffer zone – a cause for concern
It is seen that people in this area are confused over the length of
buffer zone declared by the Coastal Conservation Department (CCD) after
the tsunami. As learned 20 metre buffer zone is reserved when granting
approval for new constructions.
For already existing constructions the approval has been granted if
at least 10 metre zone from the sea is maintained. “There is no enough
land to build many hotels here. But the demand is very high.
As stated about 7,000 rooms should enter into the industry islandwide
within next few years for the promotion of tourism.
So the relevant authorities have to support the hoteliers in a
flexible manner,” Raheem urged. Day by day the sea is also encroaching
the coastal land to worsen the situation. Coastal erosion rate has
increased due to sea level rise as a result of global warming. Even
though this process is unstoppable it is suggested that its effect can
be controlled to a certain level by constructing sand barriers in the
coastal belt.
Recent tsunami catastrophe in Japan too reminds us of the
vulnerability of our coastal belt. Japan, as many of us have learned in
school, is a nation that has taken possible precautions to prevent
damages from earthquakes and tsunami devastations. Yet it suffered heavy
casualties from the tsunami.
This urges the need of a proper coastal conservation and management
for the safety of our people in the coastal belt. The support and
contribution of all is needed for this task without longing for
short-term gains. |