By Dr Khursheed Ahmad Wani
The urination of tourists on the bank of Dal and Lidder has raised several concerns among the people of Jammu & Kashmir and it has surfaced due to the power of social networking sites. Thousands of pilgrims are visiting Amarnath cave every year as their religious obligations. However, the fragile area of Phalgam becomes the highest junkyard during their visit as the Municipal Corporation Phalgam is unable to tackle the situation. This may lead to ecological disaster in future around the area as the carrying capacity of the area has diminished over the years not only due to the disposal of garbage all along the tourist hot spot, but with the changes in the land use pattern also. Further, not only tourist adds the burden but the local population, who visit the area are least concerned about the fragility of the area. They visit, eat, drink, enjoy at the cost of environment without caring for its future. Most of the stretch that are used by the visitors both local and outsiders is devoid of sufficient dust bins. The bins are not frequently emptied by the concerned authorities that have created havoc on the environment. The heaps of beer cans, polythene bags, mineral water bottles and other material is seen all along the Phalgam. It represents about a season’s rubbish. The dump is not on the regular trekking trails but all along the area, where one intends to visit. And most visitors have no idea of their impact on the landscape. Not only people but the movement of vehicles in Phalgam is adding tons of pollutants that are desirous to the vegetation and wildlife of the area. The impacts of global warming are looming and these are the areas that are considered to be the solutions to this problem, if vegetation is better managed and not exposed to degradation by short term gains. The increased incidents of drought, flooding and freak weather in valley are the results of what we are doing with the environment. Responsible visitors are supposed to carry their rubbish out with them – but most do not and what you expect!!! When they urinate or defecate in the water bodies that too when the people are all around clicking their pictures and putting them on social networking sites. But the question is? Even, if they take the rubbish down to Phalgam. Where will they put it?????? There is no developed recycling industry in Phalgam – not even in Srinagar. Maybe it’s time for some waste treatment plants right in the region. But not now? Collecting the garbage, digging a pit or burning it out is not a viable solution.”There is nothing sustainable about it,” “To be sustainable we have to think about the future and manage the waste and the sewage water.” But can Yatris and the local people escape from their responsibilities of being environmentally ethic. Not at all. We all have to think to sustain both the route to Amarnath cave and the beauty of Phalgam. Otherwise we may witness a disaster, it may be a carbon copy to Kedarnath disaster.
There is an alternative in the form of Eco-tourism. We have to work with local people to conserve fragile ecosystems, support endangered species and habitats, preserve indigenous cultures and develop sustainable local economies.
But the basic notion behind eco-tourism is a pragmatic one – where there’s a public will, there’s a market. Many travellers would rather their trip abroad had a minimal effect on the environment and culture of the country they’re visiting, and the past two decades have seen a substantial expansion in eco-tourism. Recycle waste and use environmentally-friendly utility systems, and minimising use of damaging forms of transport), but also they aim to “respect the indigenous” – accept the locals’ right to privacy and respect their local customs and their very difference. Ecotourism can be a “powerful tool favoring environmental conservation,” by “enhancing public awareness of environmentally sensitive areas. We have every right to travel for our enjoyment and religious obligations. But, we should not do it at the cost of environment, as it is collective responsibility of all of us to save and preserve the fragile nature of these ecologically sensitive areas.
(The author teaches Environmental Science at GDC Bijbehara& is associated with ALACC Naina)
