The District Forest Development Agency’s decision to increase the existing ticket charges for visitors at the Kakkayam ecotourism centre has drawn the ire of various farmers’ organisations, including We Farm farmers’ movement and the Kerala Independent Farmers Association, in Kozhikode district.

They allege that the revision of entry fee has become an annual affair without upgrading facilities for tourists who visit the upland destination.

The ticket charge, which was ₹50 per head in the past, was revised to ₹60 following the recommendation of the District Forest Development Agency as part of the efforts to improve the annual revenue from the tourism spot. According to Forest department officials, the revision was approved to meet the increasing maintenance cost.

Meanwhile, the protesting farmer organisations led by the Congress party claim that the revision of fee will be challenged legally citing the lack of tourism facilities at the ecotourism spot. They allege that the move of the Forest department is to “discourage the tourists” with additional fees and take control over the 14-kilometre area around the tourism spot by restricting public entry. 

“We are ready to accept the fee hike if the Forest department is doing something constructive for the welfare of tourists who visit the spot. Nothing beneficial is done for the tourists other than just revising the entry ticket fee every year,” said A. Johnson, a local coordinator of the farmers’ protest. He said farmers would be compelled to launch an indefinite stir if the Forest department was going ahead with its plans.