The increasing tourist inflow in the fragile trans-Himalayan landscape including Meghalaya has not exactly helped in economic prosperity but rather caused trouble for local landscape and biodiversity.
This is as per the findings of a damning report ‘Environmental Assessment of Tourism in the Indian Himalayan Region’, submitted few days back to the Environment Ministry in compliance with a National Green Tribunal (NGT) order. The report was prepared by Govind Ballabh Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment (NIHE), Almora.
The report assessed the tourist numbers, municipal facilities for waste treatment, air and water quality and biodiversity listing etc in the states of Meghalaya, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, West Bengal and the Union Territories of Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir,
According to the report, the growth in domestic tourist arrival in Meghalaya has been significant from 2016 onward and foreign tourists make only one per cent of the total tourist arrival in the State.
“As compared to other North East states, after Assam, the state of Meghalaya was the second state witnessing the high tourist influx till 2017(nearly 10 percent of the total tourist influx in north-eastern states). But after 2017, the state of Sikkim is holding the second position in terms of tourist arrival (15 percent of the total tourist influx in north-eastern states),” the report said.
While stating that tourism is benefitting the local economy and substantial growth is anticipated in Meghalaya, the report said there is need for proper strategies of management to safeguard the environment.
“The mining (coal and limestone query) {which recently the NGT has taken a strong action against the state government } should have proper monitoring mechanism in terms of air, water(surface water and groundwater) and noise pollution and status of environment should be periodically reviewed after regular inspection by the concerned state authorities,” the report said.
It also said that the present impacted area due to unscientific mining should have remedial measures like filling of mine pits, channeling of acidic seepage for checking AMD contamination of water bodies and crop fields, extensive afforestation, neutralisation of acidity, conservation of topsoil etc. coupled with scientific management of present day mining operations.
“Regular solid waste quantification by municipal bodies and assessment of the composition of solid waste generated is very essential to recommend different scientific measures for management of urban solid waste and its reuse. Municipal bodies should stop open dumping of solid waste and biomedical waste should be incinerated to avoid pollution in the downstream areas, and reservoirs/water bodies. Ground water in the area is generally good and suitable for drinking, domestic and industrial use. However, concentrations of greater than 1 mg/litre iron in ground water in some pockets have been reported. The presence of iron in drinking water should be managed through proper filtration technique,” the report said.
The report also said that data related to tourist visits to protected areas in Meghalaya is yet to be documented through close monitoring and a sound management plan for conservation and management of these protected areas is highly needed.
“Installation of a functional system equipped with advanced instrumentation for water purification and distribution to households is almost at the back foot in the entire State especially in rural areas. Study on impact of tourists’ influx on biodiversity is almost lacking in the State which is an important element for understanding the future implications of tourism and developing action plans accordingly,” it added.
The report also recommended promotion of sustainable tourism requires ubiquitous planning exercise when the context comes with fragile and eco-sensitive Indian Himalayan region.
It also made some common suggested action for the entire Indian Himalayan region such as estimation of tourist carrying capacity, promotion of green tourism, acceleration of the decarbonisation of tourism operations, carbon taxes, bio-fuel subsidies ‐ vehicle purchase subsidies, planning and zoning restrictions, restriction on use of vehicles in eco-sensitive areas, feed‐in‐tariffs for renewable energy ‐ capital subsidies and insurance for first generation Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage (CCS), establishment of proper waste segregation and management systems in tourist spots, establishment of eco friendly bio-digester toilets in high altitude trek routes, etc.
