“Tourists Ban in Idukki” ; Cops impose illegal fine over false violations

Idukki: While tourism department is trying to reconstruct the tourism sector after the pandemic,Vagamon restricts visitors to the area and fines them over foul violations.

Tourists alleged that the police imposed fines from visitors stating that they have entered in a restricted area even if there is not a ban declared as per the officials.District administration and tourism department officials denied ban in tourist destinations in the district.

The police officials illegally collected fines from the visitors. The tourism centre in Vagamon has not yet officially opened for tourists. But there is no banThere is no need to collect fines from visitors in Vagamon,” said Dineshan ,Idukki district collector.The SHO, including the police team, blocked our vehicle and said that tourism was banned in Vagamon and issued us a fine. The fine was issued under Epidemic Act”, said a touris from kochi.

However, Vagamon SHO R Jayasanil said that they collected fines from only from violators of Covid-19 guidelines.The fines were collected under not wearing masks and not following social distance.Many of the tourists that TOI spoke to, however, denied the statement.”We understand that only the police version is considered official.But there was no such violation because we were wearing and adhered to social distancing protocol,” said the tourist.