Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve - Equitable Tourism Options

Hill regions:
Ooty and newly-developed places like Masinagudi, Kotagiri, are famous
south Indian hill stations and also tourist sites have gone through
unprecedented construction and infrastructure development causing
landslides almost every year. Initiations to arrest unplanned and often
detrimental constructions through regulatory mechanisms like the Hill Area
Development Authority (HADP) is a boon, though at the same time prone to
economic and political manipulations.
2.8 Case Study #1: Ecotourism Development in Masinagudi
Tourists in Masinagudi seek novel, adventurous and personalised
experiences in unique, remote and primordial locations. Increasingly tourists
in Masinagudi are also seeking authenticity, immersion, self-discovery and
quality rather than quantity. Eco-tourism can lead to a change in resource
ownership and management that while being beneficial to the tourism
industry, is detrimental to the local people. The happenings in and around
Masinagudi are signalling negative impacts rather than benefits. Hence,
research on all those aspects assumes importance to validate certain
premises with first hand information and data.
Masinagudi
Masinagudi range is spread over about 8004 sq. Km in Mudumalai Wildlife
Sanctuary and is located in the southeast part of the sanctuary. These areas
are declared as reserve forest areas. The eastern part of the sanctuary,
beyond Masinagudi, gets very low precipitation; about 800-mm. Dry
cultivation is practiced in Masinagudi. Kurumbas, Irulas, Chettis and Paniyas
are the hill tribes who have been living in the sanctuary since a long period of
time.
Masinagudi is a small village, which lies northwest of Udhagamandalam
(Ooty) in the low country in the Moyar Valley at a distance of 25 Km from
Udhagamandalam by the Sigur Ghat road. It could be also reached by the
Udhagamandalam-Gudalur-Moyar Ghat road. The latter route is circuitous
and a distance of about 90 kilometers is to be covered. The village derives its
name from the village Goddess Masini Amman, a local deity, whose shrine is
on the western part of the village, now near the bus stand in the route of
Theppakadu. This village once called Masanahalli.
1. Study researched andwriiten by P. Krishnamoorthy and S. Liyakhat of EQUATIONS. Field research was carried
by VTMS and TNGM.
15 NilIlgiris : Fading Glory