Uncontrolled and unchecked …

The following report throws light on growing popularity of ayurveda practices with foreign tourists and how unregulated and sub par ayurveda massage parlours and non-qualified personnel can spoil the party.

In Goa too which received some 3 million tourists in 2006-2007 no guidelines have been framed for the setting up and for regulations of the massage parlours.

“No clear cut guidelines have been specified for the setting up of Ayuverda clinics and there is no mechanism to check the numerous quacks which operate from the state and no one is sure who is a real practitioner from a fake one,” laments Flora Fernandes, a woman who regularly gets massages, and who is not related to Roque Fernandes.

The Goa state tourism department has no head count on the number of ayurveda practitioners in the state or so does the health department.

The health department only has record of the ayurvedic doctors operating from the state and Doctors who have passed out after completing their five year course through the only ayurvedic college in Goa. [Ancient Indian Medicine Faces Challenges Of Globalization]

[For details on Ayurveda resorts in Kerala please visit www.ayurvedatravelmall.com]

New Bill in Kerala legislature to regulate Ayurveda Massage parlours

The new bill to regulate the uncontrolled proliferation of Ayurveda Massage parlours, often managed by incompetent personnel, is placed in Kerala Legislature.

Health Minister P K Sreemathi will introduce a Bill in the Assembly on Thursday to regulate and control the proliferation of ayurvedic massage parlours in the state.

This is perhaps the first time that the state government has decided to act tough about massage parlours which have enticed many quacks into the trade.

The Bill aims to regulate these parlours against the backdrop of increased tourism across the state.

At present there is no proper mechanism to check the kind of treatment offered at these places.

The Bill prescribes an Ayurveda Director as the licencing authority for massage parlours. A team constituted by the Director will inspect each parlour and verify its facilities before issuing the licence which will be for a period of three years.[Bill to regulate Ayurvedic Massage Parlours]

In many ways this is a welcome step, for this state is having a large influx of Ayurveda tourists. However, having a licensing authority in place might lead to corruption, if not setup properly.

[For details on Ayurveda resorts in Kerala please visit www.ayurvedatravelmall.com]