The United Nations Environment Program defines Sustainable tourism as “tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities”. Jammu and Kashmir is well known for its scenic beauty. Its mesmerizing and eye-catching beauty and rich cultural heritage are famous all across the world. The snow-clad mountains, lush green forests and meadows, alpine green pastures, perennial and crystal Rivers, hissing springs, shimmering lakes, rich wildlife, mountainous gorges, carpet green turfs, cool breeze and invigorating and salubrious climate are refreshing lakhs of visitors every year. The visitors of global countries are feeling not less than heaven in the Kashmir valley. Tourism sector is one of the most important sectors that has been contributing significantly to the local economy of Jammu and Kashmir. It is a demand driven sector and accounts for about 7% of state GDP. It employs thousands of people directly and directly. The recent inclusion of border areas particularly Keran, Machil, Tangdar, Teetwal, Gurez, Bungus valley etc. on the tourist map will further boost local economy and create more opportunities for the people to earn their livelihood. It is proving to be a game changer for the rural areas. The tourism sector also boosts other sectors of Jammu and Kashmir. For the past one decade, the government of Jammu and Kashmir has been investing huge amounts of rupees for development of infrastructure at famous tourist places. The development of various kinds of infrastructure at Eco fragile tourist places have been also inviting a huge number of domestic and international visitors every year. However, for the last one-decade, the huge inflow of tourists together with increasing globalization, urbanization, concretization, and population pressure have been putting a great pressure on the natural resources particularly at Eco fragile tourist places. The Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Sonamarg, Doodhpathri etc blessed with immense natural scenic splendor and grandeur are facing huge tourist rush and their carrying capacity always exceeds the limit posing threat to ecosystems. An unregulated flow of tourists to eco fragile tourist places like Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Sonamarg, Doodhpathri would be more catastrophic in future due to ecological concerns. It would speed up the melting of existing glaciers, rise in temperature, dying of springs and rivers, forests, and disturb ecological balance in nature. Plastic pollution in ecological sensitive tourist places is very rampant and unfortunately, tons of hotel and restaurant waste, polythene and plastic bottles and other garbage find easy way into water bodies, springs, lakes, forests and some trash are being scattered on the mother earth. The lakes, rivers, gushing streams, alpine meadows, forests, and public parks that are providing pleasure and solace to visitors at fascinating tourist places are turning into garbage and dumping sites due to carelessness and unawareness of people about the importance of a healthy environment. Increasing materialism and lack of environmental ethics is further adding woes to the Eco fragile nature of tourist places. It is ironic that the majority of local people have made the Eco fragile tourist places as food eating-places and the most local people after taking heavy foods like wazwan left all kinds of trash scattered without any care for eco sensitive places. There is gross violation of Environment protection act 1986, The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, Indian forest act 1927, and wildlife protection act 1972 particularly by the local people. Sewage of houseboats and hotels and other drainage pipes of households’ in Srinagar city are getting into famous water bodies like the Dal Lake. The recent death of fishes in Dal Lake had pollution as one of the causes. Wherever we visit the bowl-shaped fragile Kashmir valley, we find extreme violations of environment protection laws and there is no respect of nature and environmental laws due to greed and materialism. The Kashmir valley that earlier deserves the very beautiful accolades’ like the “Paradise on the earth” and the “Switzerland of Asia” would be soon called trash valley due to rising pollution.
It is the responsibility and moral duty of local people to protect and preserve the fragile nature of tourist places and they should promote local organic foods in biodegradable items and avoid use of non-biodegradable items like plastic and polythene. Declaration of plastic and polythene free tourist places and strict implementation of polluter pays tax by the government is the need of the hour. Sustainable tourism will not only preserve the pristine and mesmerizing beauty of Kashmir but also will open floodgates of employment opportunities for the unemployed educated youth and can prove economically more rewarding to the people.
Although, the government of Jammu and Kashmir and all the concerned departments have installed dustbins but unfortunately majority of people do not bother to put their solid waste like polythene, plastic bottles into dustbins. Installation of dustbins at Eco fragile places have no value unless visitors local or outstate do not use them properly. Establishment of solid waste disposal units at every tourist place will save our eco sensitive tourist places like Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Doodhpathri, Sonamarg etc. it is pertinent to mention that Kashmir valley have already lost many water bodies, lakes and springs, forests, wild flora and fauna, gigantic glaciers’ due to rising pollutions and climate change. Unregulated flow of tourists and rampant pollution at tourist places will further add to the destruction of our environment. There is an urgent need to promote sustainable and ecotourism in Jammu and Kashmir as the whole Jammu and Kashmir is the most Eco fragile state. It is more vulnerable to climate change impacts and natural disasters. Promoting ecotourism in Jammu and Kashmir will have no impact or minimal adverse effect on the natural environment. Promoting and adopting eco-friendly practices, conserving natural resources, preserving local culture and heritage will not only save our environment but also will generate revenue and create more employment opportunities for the local people. Development activities at tourist places should be in such a way that it will not deteriorate the fragile ecology. Eco Friendly markets and infrastructures’ should be developed that will retain the virginity and sustainable nature of the ecosystems. Developing necessary tourist infrastructures in recently declared tourist villages on sustainable lines reduces the huge rush to other tourist places. Development of scientific solid waste management facilities and installation of waste processing machines at tourist places will further reduce solid waste. Financial assistance to unemployed youth for investment in sustainable tourism activities solve their unemployment problem, strengthen rural economy, and save and preserve the sustainable nature of all our tourist places. It is the responsibility and moral duty of local people to protect and preserve the fragile nature of tourist places and they should promote local organic foods in biodegradable items and avoid use of non-biodegradable items like plastic and polythene. Declaration of plastic and polythene free tourist places and strict implementation of polluter pays tax by the government is the need of the hour. Sustainable tourism will not only preserve the pristine and mesmerizing beauty of Kashmir but also will open floodgates of employment opportunities for the unemployed educated youth and can prove economically more rewarding to the people.
(The author is a teacher at Govt Boys Higher Secondary School Beerwa Budgam. The views, opinions, facts, assumptions, presumptions and conclusions expressed in this article are those of the author and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”.)
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