Published in Dwarka Express on 6.7.24

It is off season, say the locals, though it didn’t appear so! Recently some of us visited Sattal in Nainital for birding. While nature is still manifested in its original form, it is not all that good in this tourist spot. Tourism has taken its toll in one form or other. Heavy traffic near the lake exposed the lack of amenities. Parking space is limited while four wheelers entering the area are beyond tolerance level. Plastic bottles are thrown into the lake freely or left on the bunds which in due course reach the lake easily. Bird lovers gather here to capture the birds through their lens in the studio area.  Sometime back, there was an effort to convert this area into amusement park with food courts, and play areas. Local NGOs launched protests to save the lake. Tourists and photographers to this area leave the PET bottles back unlike local guides and shopkeepers who never do that. The least concern is shown by callous tourists who play loud music in the studio area which is known for bird photography and nature watch. Though locals try to keep the area clean, it was found that garbage dumps on roadsides were overflowing and stinking. When we pointed out to overflowing garbage dumps, the local shopkeepers literally became sad. In Sattal studio area, we spotted barking deer, yellow bellied martin and Himalayan langur but whether this valuable wildlife will be available for posterity?

All is not well in ecotourism. Sustainability of tourism to natural places depends on how we address the increased CO2 emissions, excessive water consumption, piling up garbage, landscape destruction and loss of biodiversity The sustainability of a tourist spot depends on how effective the authorities and locals are working together to manage the inflow of tourists. Once when we visited Dal Lake in Srinagar, the boatmen came to the spot where a child was about to urinate (near the lake) and directed the tourists to public toilets. Yes, locals are the beneficiaries both in monetary terms and ecological wellbeing. In Yercaud, a hill station near Salem in Tamil Nadu, the district collector has recently issued a strict order that the banned Single Use Plastics should not be allowed at any cost.  Any tourist vehicle entering into a hill station must be thoroughly checked for PET bottles and the same must be confiscated at the entry level. Tourists must be advised to bring reusable bottles. No one should be allowed to litter or play loud music. Strict vigil is possible if volunteers from civil societies and NGOs team together for this mission. Proper plastic disposal mechanism must be in place. The size of sustainable ecotourism industry is estimated to grow by 6 times in next 10 years.  Popular hill stations like Ooty, Kodaikanal, Mussoorie, Dehra Dun, Nainital, Kasauli, or Srinagar will lose the charm if immediate attention is not given. The hill stations survive due to tourism. To make tourism cent percent sustainable is a collective effort. Time is running out. There is a dire need to promote ecotourism, not tourism.