3 weeks ago
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The Munnar grama panchayat is acceptable to levy a surcharge connected tourer vehicles reaching the elevation presumption from this Onam season.
A panchayat committee gathering held connected Wednesday (May 13, 2026) approved the determination to cod the fee, which, the authorities say, is simply a determination to tackle the mounting garbage situation successful the region.
Munnar panchayat president S. Vijayakumar said the surcharge volition beryllium collected from the upcoming Onam festival season. He said hundreds of tourer vehicles scope the elevation presumption regular and astir of them permission by evening, often leaving down ample amounts of waste.
“The section assemblage receives nary income from these tourists, yet we are liable for managing the discarded they permission behind,” Mr. Vijayakumar said. “Waste attraction is simply a superior contented for the panchayat, and the surcharge gross volition beryllium utilized wholly for discarded absorption efforts.”
The panchayat plans to acceptable up “green check-posts” with the enactment of assorted authorities. Proposed locations see the country adjacent the Devikulam toll plaza, the wood check-post astatine Chatta Munnar, and Pallivasal. Mr. Vijayakumar said if hurdles originate to the postulation astatine the check-posts, the panchayat volition cod the fees directly. He added that the inaugural has already received immense nationalist support.
Environmentalists person welcomed the move, noting that a surcharge and zero-waste inaugural person been long-pending demands to guarantee that the destination remains garbage-free.
R. Mohan, president of the Munnar Environment and Wildlife Society (MEWS), suggested that a technological survey beryllium conducted earlier its implementation. “If a mobile app is developed, tourists could registry their accomplishment and wage the surcharge online,” Mr. Mohan said. “The wellness of the mountains successful Munnar is the wealthiness of the plains,” helium said.
Mr. Mohan further noted that section wildlife, particularly chaotic elephants, are a premier attraction astatine the elevation station, but they are presently nether menace owed to the waste. “Due to amerciable dumping, chaotic animals are eating rootlike discarded mixed with integrative from the attraction plant. Installing greenish check-posts and ensuring due discarded attraction volition assistance successful conserving section wildlife,” helium said.
According to officials, the adjacent Kanthalloor panchayat collects a akin surcharge. Currently, Munnar sees 2,000 to 2,500 tourer vehicles daily, a fig that swells to betwixt 5,000 and 6,000 connected weekends and holidays, often resulting successful hours-long postulation congestion.
