Himachal's Koksar village adopts homestay guidelines to promote sustainable tourism
CHANDIGARH: Koksar village in Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh with a population of 650 people, is grappling with a significant amount of plastic waste, a problem hitherto unknown in this high-altitude region.
The village is situated five kilometres away from the Atal Tunnel and is a popular destination for trekking, mountaineering, hiking and other adventure sports.
The village panchayat has decided to tackle this problem by focusing on eco-friendly solutions such as discouraging the use of plastic and stopping food and water wastage.
To preserve local heritage while embracing sustainable tourism, the Koksar Panchayat Tourism Development Committee (TDC) introduced Homestay Guidelines under the People-Owned and People-Governed Tourism (POPGT) project.
Empty packets of chips, Maggi, chocolate wrappers, plastic bottles, and layers of discarded plastic are dumped in the area.
The village Panchayat has twelve villages and there are 29 homestays in five villages including Koksar, Dimpuk, Ramthang, Telign. Around 600 to 700 tourists stay there.
Approximately 6000 to 7000 tourists visit the place daily and on every third day, six small tempos of waste are collected and sent out which serves as a microcosm of the staggering problem of waste management and plastic pollution spread across the Himalayan Region that no one quite knows how to clean up.
Supported by People for Himalayan Development (PHD), this initiative is a unique endeavor to guide tourists and empower local homestay owners in creating a harmonious balance between hospitality and cultural preservation.
The guidelines focus on fostering mutual respect between visitors and the community.
For tourists, they serve as a reminder to respect local traditions, minimize waste and engage responsibly with the environment and for homestay owners they provide a shared framework to offer authentic yet consistent hospitality, rooted in the warmth and simplicity of Lahauli culture.
The Pradhan of the Koksar Panchayat Tourism Development Committee, Sachin Mirupa spoke about how hospitality is not just a practice but a way of life in Lahaul.
He hopes the guidelines will help people welcome guests in a way that honours their traditions and keep the land beautiful and clean for generations to come.
"Our people and our mountains tell a story, and it’s important that visitors respect and become a part of it during their stay," he said.
He also said that the guidelines are a symbol of Koksar’s collective determination to build a tourism model that respects both people and nature, setting a shining example for the rest of the Himalayan region.
"We want them to leave with more than memories—we want them to take home a sense of respect for our land, our culture, and our people," he added.
Sandeep Minhas of People for Himalayan Development says that the guidelines will help the community become responsible towards tourism by adopting sustainable practices and stopping energy wastage.
"Tourists should not keep the electricity on when not needed, the tourists should take back their plastic waste and not dump it in the village," he said.
He spoke about the water scarcity challenge and how the water demand is high due to increased tourist inflow.
"Earlier there were dry pits for toilets now there are washrooms thus a total change, thus everyone visiting here has to learn how to minimize using the flush system to save water," he said.
"The tourist should consider the homestay they stay as their own house and should adopt all the good practices and make an interactive atmosphere in the village"
He also spoke about how tourists should adopt the practice of avoiding packed food and eating local cuisine. The occupancy of these homestays is 100 per cent in winters.