It’s shakalaka blue bloom @ ‘Kumbalangi Nights’

Need for a proper tourism plan

But not everything is bright and blue here. Satheesan V R, who runs Kumbalangi Nights restaurant, points to the accumulating waste along the coastal road.

“Yes, it’s great that visitors are thronging here, enjoying our food, and spending time in the village. But after they leave, we residents are left to clean up the roads,” he says.

Satheesan and other local residents have been raising concerns about the mounting garbage problem for the past few years. “The garbage issue is ever-present but worsens during the kavaru season,” he adds.

“What we need is a well-structured tourism programme involving local bodies. This will also help visitors track the spots where they can witness bioluminescence, as these spots change daily.”

Satheesan suggests that the District Tourism Promotion Council and the local administration collaborate to create a proper seasonal tourism plan for Kumbalangi. “To preserve the natural bounty, we all need to work together,” he says.

“We cannot ask visitors to avoid eating or drinking bottled water, but we can provide bins for proper waste disposal. If needed, authorities could charge a nominal fee of, say, Rs 20 from each visitor for the Haritha Karma Sena.”

Satheesan adds that the local community should also feel a similar thrill as the tourists. “It’s nice to see people admiring our village. But for this to continue in a healthy, sustainable manner, the government has to play a proactive role,” he says.