Economy versus ecology: Tourism quandary vexes Lakshadweep

HT, in a series supported by the Pulitzer Center, looks at the changes that have hit Lakshadweep, the archipelago off India’s southwest coast.

Agatti/Kavaratti: Everyone in Agatti knows about the tent city coming up along the lagoon. Ask any auto driver and he will zoom past the coconut groves to a stretch of the white beach where construction material including pre-fabricated aluminium columns, steel meshes, and mounds of concrete can be found.

Most experts agree that a boost in tourism could help generate revenue for islanders but locals are anxious. (ANI)

Similar tent cities are coming up in Bangaram and Thinnakara — these are among the latest efforts to build luxury tourist infrastructure in Lakshadweep. HT filed an RTI (right to information)