NEW DELHI: With the massive tourist influx, which almost doubled in the last decade, in the Himalayan region, an environment ministry report has called for regulated tourism. Plus, the report has proposed to levy carbon tax and restriction on use of vehicles in the eco-sensitive areas. The Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) is spread across Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, West Bengal Hills, Assam Hills, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, and Meghalaya.
The region has witnessed extensive growth in the tourism industry with increased waste generation, a large number of vehicles, and waste disposal into rivers causing degradation of the soil, water, and air quality over a period of time. Tourism and rapid infrastructure development in the Himalayan ecosystem are normally blamed for contributing to several environmental challenges, including carbon emissions that lead to global warming and ultimately climate change.
An environment ministry report “Environmental Assessment of Tourism in the Indian Himalayan Region”, has been prepared by Govind Ballabh Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment (NIHE), Almora in compliance with a National Green Tribunal (NGT).
The report says that in Kashmir, famous lakes — Dal, Nigeen, Wular — are bearing the brunt of increasing tourists. Other IHR states face similar problems with waste generation, handling, and disposal posing a big challenge in the areas. “Establishment of regulated tourism practices with the promotion of sustainable agendas are required for the IHR. This could be achieved through maintenance of the proper tourist capacity in every tourist place of the IHR which will, in turn, minimize mainly the generation of solid waste, and pollution level in the water, air, and destruction of biodiversity,” the experts recommended.
The experts suggested levying green tax on tourist vehicles, renewable energy-based vehicles, solid waste management, installation of latest equipment for air quality monitoring, and strengthening community-based tourism.
Tourism and Pollution in Himayalan region
The Indian Himalayan Region has witnessed extensive growth in the tourism industry with increased waste generation, a large number of vehicles, and waste disposal into rivers causing degradation of the soil, water, and air quality over a period of time.