Where foreign tourists fear to tread

KOCHI: Beaches always beckon people, mainly children. The beach in Fort Kochi is no different. It was not so a decade ago. But due to the efforts made by the tourism department to build the walkway and other facilities, it got a facelift.The beach has become more accessible to the tourists now. Though the tsunami of 2004 consumed a large portion of it, the existing small stretch is quite good.“Nobody knew the value of the beach until the walkway was constructed some years ago,” said Ruben who lives nearby. Fort Kochi is becoming popular among the domestic tourists, mainly for those from the neighbouring states.The North Indians make full use of their time at the place. Even as the tourism season is at its lean period, flow of tourists from Tamil Nadu to Fort Kochi is increasing, he said. The rising temperature in the neighbouring state has forced people to plan trips to Kerala.With the increase in the number of domestic tourists, the beach becomes more dirty with the litter left behind by them. Those coming in tourist buses carry food packets with them and discard the cover in beach and other places, Reji, an ice cream seller. It is very difficult to bring them round to discard the waste materials in the trash bins. The dearth of waste bins is also another reason for the littering, he said. While the local tourists have no qualms over stepping into the water, foreign tourists find the filth repulsive. Most of the foreign tourists keep off the dirty beach though they are obsessed with it.“Most of them are keen on swimming and want to know if there is any spot earmarked for it. We direct them to Cherai where there are better swimming facilities,” said Reji.