Two years after being carved out of the original state of Jammu and Kashmir and granted Union Territory status, Ladakh is at the crossroads between sustainable tourism and saving the fragile trans-Himalayan ecology.
Tourism in Ladakh has been growing steadily over the past few decades and with each passing year, an impractical pressure has been created on the local natural resources. Where on the one hand people want more tourists to come; Environmental experts, on the other hand, are wary of the negative impact on the local environment.
A few days back, when a video of a careless tourist’s four-wheeler stuck in the mud on the banks of the serene Pangong Tso lake went viral on social media, there was an uproar among all sections of the people of Ladakh. In person, in the media and also on social media.
“Ladakh has some beautiful high-altitude lakes, which are not only home to many wildlife but also have rich traditional values and sanctity. Enjoy the peaceful awe-inspiring lakes, but please don’t pollute them,” tweeted Sonam Wangchok, president of the International Association for Ladakh Studies and founder of the Himalayan Cultural Heritage Foundation.
Due to the abundance of its nature, Ladakh attracts a large number of tourists and their numbers are increasing year after year. Apart from backpackers and regular tourists, Ladakh has attracted bikers from all over India and the world.
On Wednesday, the Border Roads Organization (BRO) opened the world’s highest motorable road at 19,300 ft at Umlingla Pass in eastern Ladakh, poised to attract more bikers than the 18,000+ ft of Khardungla Pass earlier. were attracted to. . This development, many fear, will bring in more tourists, especially bikers. Pre-lockdown, this extremely beautiful cold desert had over 2.7 lakh tourists.
Like the viral video about a fancy SUV stuck by a lake, another video of bike riders kicking sand dunes in remote Ladakh drew a lot of criticism.
“The sand dunes are an independent ecosystem. There are birds nesting on the ground, there are lizards, many insects and other species found in the sand dunes of Ladakh. Once the balance is disturbed, the ecological process is disturbed. and this may have an impact on the eco-system services,” said Tsewang Namgyel of Snow Leopard Conservancy India Trust.
Therefore, he said, it is imperative that both locals and tourists need to understand the delicate ecosystem and respect the fabric of the environment.
And then there are others who equally blame the inefficiency of the local administration. “It is my sincere request to all the tourists visiting Ladakh. Respect beauty, respect ecosystem, respect people. Yes. However, I would also like to add that the authorities in Ladakh will have to do a better job of enforcing the rules,” said Rinchen Norbu Shaxpo, a Ladakh-based journalist who is now based in Bengaluru.
Ladakh generally sees domestic tourists in May and June, with a little less in July every year. Last year saw a halt due to the lockdown but this year tourists are back with a vengeance. “Also, this year, many people from north-west India have distanced themselves from Ladakh because of the work-from-home arrangement,” said social activist Fariha Yusuf.
Yusuf is with the Ladakh Ecological Development Group (LEDeG), which has conducted regular cleanliness awareness campaigns with the administration and encouraged the administration to mandatorily implement ‘segregation at source’ for municipal solid waste. “Luckily, the hotel and other local people are very well compliant. We have also started cleaning the landfill site, which is full of garbage throughout the years. It will take time but at least the beginning has been made.”
Change is slow but is happening. On the occasion of the celebration of the second anniversary of the formation of the Union Territory of Ladakh, the Ladakh Tourism Department launched an e-bus and also conducted a ‘Sustainable Cleanliness Drive’ at Skara Spang, a meadow in the neighborhood of Leh.
While both the initiatives have earned good word for the administration, there are concerns for the overall changes taking place over the past two years. With so much infrastructure planned, concerns are expressed about the processes that will ensure environmental precautions. For example, Namgail pointed to a definitive Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report prepared for a road construction project in Ladakh.
“I noticed that one of the EIA reports mentioned, ‘There are no trees in the area, so we can go ahead with the project’. This shows a lack of understanding about the ecology here,” Namgyel said. he said.
Environmentalist Karma Sonam explained how the Union Territory’s position for better environmental governance is becoming problematic.
“The Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council is now a powerless body, and all decisions are taken at the central level. Tourism has been on the rise in the last few years, but now is the time to curb it as excessive tourism can be a problem for the environment.”
From being part of a larger state to being a union territory and then demanding Schedule VI status to now demanding a separate state, Ladakh and Ladakhis have come a long way. Time to find your place again for this old Silk Road destination!
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