The Kerala High Court on Friday said that urgent action is required to alter the existing tourism policy of the state to ensure it continues to hold a prime position in the global tourism map.

A division bench of justices A K Jayasankaran Nambiar and K V Jayakumar directed the state government to ensure that timely updates regarding the progress of the carrying capacity study it conducts, be filed periodically in the court.

The court issued the direction after the amicus curiae appointed by it filed a report stating that according to media reports and other events, international travel platforms have now placed Kerala on their 'no list 2025' which was virtually a blow to the state's tourism related aspirations.

The amicus also told the bench that the state government has not fully complied with the court's earlier order to conduct a carrying capacity study in the hill stations in Kerala.

The direction was issued by the court during the hearing of a plea initiated by the High Court for prevention and management of natural disasters in the state in the wake of the landslides that devastated three villages in Wayanad district and claimed over 200 lives.

The amicus also filed a separate report regarding a central government office memorandum which directed creation of a Corporate Environment Responsibility (CER) fund for the purposes of enabling projects for which environment clearance is granted by the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA).

The amicus said the amounts earmarked for the fund are to be utilised for carrying out activities such as infrastructure creation for drinking water supply, sanitation, health, education, skill development etc. simultaneously or in the immediate aftermath of the completion of the projects.

The amicus also told the court that enquiries conducted by him have revealed that the SEIAA and the District Collectors currently do not have any data regarding the utilisation of the CER Fund sanctioned in connection with each project for which environment clearance was granted by them.

Taking note of the report, the court directed the SEIAA to furnish a list of the projects for which the CER Fund was directed to be utilised by the project component.

The court also sought a statement from the SEIAA as to whether an audit of the utilisation of the CER Fund has been conducted post implementation of the project. It directed the SEIAA to file its affidavit on or before December 6, the next date of hearing.

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