Develop Lakshadweep but protect its ecology

Its potential for tourism has got much of India talking, but it’s vital that its exploitation is an eco-friendly project right from the start. Maldives offers us an example of what not to do

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I'll-advised comments by Maldivian ministers against India sparked a diplomatic row, led to their ejection from authority in Maldives and set off social media calls here to develop Lakshadweep, a Union territory off the coast of Kerala, as an alternative tourist destination. While they hold parallel appeal as holiday isles with white-sand beaches amid dreamscape waters, replicating Maldives' model of high-end resort exclusivity may not be possible at that scale, given Lakshadweep's smaller size, even if new infrastructure can support an enlarged influx of tourists. Still, a push for a tourism leap is underway that appears to have stoked much anticipation among Indian holidayers, especially Instagram influencers of holiday picks. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit there, a clutch of developmental projects were announced. A new airport that can serve military purposes and handle civilian flights is being planned, even as a buzz has arisen over corporate interest in setting up five-star resorts on these islands. Although some of the enthusiasm visible on social