BHUBANESWAR: Following the controversy over the human safari in the tribal areas of Odisha, the State Government has decided to regulate the visit of foreign tourists and researchers to the areas inhabited, particularly, by the primitive vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs) such as Bondas, Dongaria Kandhas and other such communities. No foreign tourist or researcher intending to visit the areas inhabited and frequented by PVTGs will do so without permission from the district magistrate. A copy of the permission should also be marked to the local police station. But the State Government has made it clear that no permission would be granted for any form of amusement or entertainment by the PVTGs for the tourists. According to a release here, the inspector-in-charge or the officer-in-charge of the police station will have to ensure that the conditions mentioned in the permission are strictly followed. The State Government warned that in case of any violation, criminal cases would be lodged against the tourist, sponsor, tour operator under appropriate sections of the law. The application for permission would have to be made to the district magistrate through the tourist officer of the district. The district magistrate should allow visitors to only limited number of villages/locations taking into account the sensitivity of the area and genuine purpose of the visit, it added. The tourists should be accompanied by a representative of the development agency of the concerned PVTG. For the purpose, the development agency may empanel suitable persons from the PVTG community to act as guides. The instructions issued by the State Government maintained that permission for visiting the PVTGs areas at night would not be given. Besides, no photography and videography of the tribals belonging to the PVTGs would be allowed. Physical proximity of the tourists to the PVTGs should be strictly prohibited, it said and added that they should not be allowed to enter houses of the tribals. The tour operators who intend to take tourists to these areas should be registered with the Department of Tourism and Culture with additional conditions. But the tour operators should not depict the photographs, video clips, write-ups on PVTGs in their websites and brochures in an inappropriate manner for promotion of tourism. The State Government has asked the tour operators to submit a monthly return of foreign tourists visiting areas inhabited or frequented by PVTGs. The matter came to light when a brochure of a tour operator outside the country showed one of their holiday packages to the tribal areas of Odisha stating that tourists can see the lifestyle of tattooed, heavily beaded, near-naked people, their day-to-day activity and their extremely primitive way of living.
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