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| Environmental impact of tourism in India | | | Dr. Pragya Khanna | 12/5/2011 9:26:55 PM |
| In India tourism has experienced sustained growth
and expanding ?diversification to become one of the fastest growing economic sectors over the decades, thus contributing to a large proportion of the National Income and generating huge employment opportunities.
India is famous for its generous treatment to all visitors, its visitor-friendly traditions, diverse life styles, cultural legacy, architectural heritage and colorful fairs and festivals hold abiding attractions for the tourists. The other attractions include beautiful beaches, forests, wild life and landscapes for eco-tourism; snow, river and mountain peaks for adventure tourism; technological parks and science museums for science tourism; centers of pilgrimage for spiritual tourism; heritage, trains and hotels for heritage tourism. Yoga, Ayurveda and natural health resorts and hill stations also attract tourists. The Indian handicrafts particularly jewellery, carpets, leather goods, ivory and brass work are the main shopping items of foreign tourists.
In the state of J&K which has sprawling mountains, stretches of valleys, lakes, pilgrimage sites, handicraft etc. a lot of initiatives have been taken by the Government to boost tourism.
On one hand tourism helps preserve several places which are of historical importance by declaring them as heritage sites, conserving the natural habitats of many endangered species, creating various means of transports, health care facilities, sports centers, in addition to the hotels and high-end restaurants that cater to the needs of visitors. In addition, tourism industry can also help promote peace and stability in developing country like India by providing jobs, generating income, diversifying the economy, protecting the environment and promoting cross-cultural awareness.
On the other hand, the tourism industry lays some serious adverse effects on the environment. Increased transport and construction activities lead to large scale deforestation and destabilization of natural landforms, whereas better tourist flow leads to increase in solid waste dumping as well as depletion of water and fuel resources. Surge of tourists to ecologically sensitive areas results in destruction of rare and endangered species mostly due to trampling, killing and disturbance of breeding habitats. Noise pollution from vehicles and public address systems, water pollution, vehicular emissions, untreated sewage, etc. also have direct effects on bio-diversity, environment and general contour of tourist spots.
In mountain areas of the Himalayas and Darjeeling, the trekking tourists produce a huge quantity of waste. Tourists on expedition leave behind their trash, oxygen cylinders and even camping equipment. Such practices degrade the environment mainly in remote areas because they have few garbage collection or disposal facilities. Erection of hotels, recreation and other facilities often leads to increased sewage pollution. Wastewater has polluted seas and lakes surrounding tourist attractions thus causing a great deal of damage to flora and fauna.
The most important example that can be cited here is of the greatest impact on the sensitive mountain environment in the Karakoram Mountains between India and Pakistan in Kashmir where the result of the ongoing military conflict has led to human waste and trash accumulation on the glaciers. Such garbage does not degrade in cold and frozen places. Abandoned military equipment and fuel spills also contribute to the problem.
Some steps that must be taken to protect mountain ecosystems, particularly the Himalayas like trash should be separated into material that can be destroyed by fire, bio-degradable materials that can be buried such as vegetable and fruit waste, and materials that must be transported out of the mountains to an appropriate site for disposal such as metal cans and glass. Human waste can be properly disposed of in an earthen pit of adequate depth, but this is a problem on glaciers. Tourists would not want to visit areas that have been heavily impacted by improper disposal of trash and human waste. Deforestation leads to soil erosion which can be quite severe given the steep topography of these areas.
The solution to the problem lies in promoting ecotourism. Ecotourism plainly means tourism tied with the idea of protecting the environment. It promotes traveling to natural spots rather than commercial attractions, using cleaner means of sightseeing such as bicycles and walking, and doing activities that have negligible impact on the environment. Ecotourism aims at reducing the need to assert land and develop infrastructure for tourists. It focuses on exploiting what is already present to draw tourists in.
India is a beautiful and exotic country with colorful traditions and centuries of history. However, the country can be difficult to maneuver for a tourist visiting India. A great deal of India's infrastructure has not been restructured since the British left in 1947, so transportation and facilities, while accessible, have yet to be modernized. If India wants to establish itself as an unyielding travel destination and augment tourism, government and big business companies should take steps to make the country more cordial to foreign travelers. Public restroom facilities, even if existing, are inadequately maintained. Often the only sanitary services available are at big luxury hotels. India needs to improve its public services and promote basic hygiene if it wants to appeal to the foreign tourist.
Though India also has widespread railway coordination, however, due to overcrowding and poor maintenance, trains are often so crowded that people sit on the roofs of moving trains or hang out the windows. We should be aware of the different types of tourists that may want to visit India like ecotourists, historians or those seeking meditative retreats. India should take advantage of the inquisitiveness of foreign tourists with Indian culture, including yoga, Ayurvedic medicine, Hinduism and meditation, and market itself accordingly.
Tourism can sometimes lead to tension, hostility, and distrust between the tourists and the local communities when there is no respect and appreciation for each other's culture and way of life. This further leads to violence and other crimes committed against the tourists. Our government is trying hard to curb this menace, but it requires an effort on part of every individual.
Moreover, since tourism is a multi-dimensional industry, it would be essential that all sections of the Central and State governments, private sector and voluntary organizations become active partners in the endeavor to accomplish sustainable growth in tourism if our country is to become a world player in the tourism industry.
Atithi Devo Bhava! |
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