INDIA: ECO-TOURISM TO THE RESCUE

By Neena Bhandari Reprint | | Print |

NEENA BHANDARI

SIMLA INDIA, Dec 31 1994 (IPS) - IF ITS DECEMBER IT’S GOT TO BE THE LOFTY HIMALAYAN RANGES SURROUNDING THIS HISTORIC HILL TOWN FOR MOST NORTH INDIANS IN SEARCH OF A WHITE CHRISTMAS.

HAUNTING WINTER SNOWSCAPES, MAJESTIC MOUNTAINS AND THE QUAINT CHARM OF OLD BRITISH RESORTS ATTRACT NOT ONLY THE INCREASINGLY MOBILE MIDDLE CLASS INDIAN BUT ALSO FOREIGNERS IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURE SPORTS OR PRISTINE HOLIDAY DESTINATIONS.

HIMACHAL PRADESH, OF WHICH SIMLA IS THE CAPITAL, IS JUST AS STUNNING IN ITS NATURAL SPLENDOUR ALL THE YEAR THROUGH AND RECORDS A WHOPPING 3.5 MILLION TOURIST ARRIVALS ANNUALLY. THIS YEAR THE NUMBER IS EXPECTED TO GO UP BY 20 PERCENT.

“THERE ARE ONLY FIVE OR SIX SPOTS IN THE STATE WHICH ARE DEVELOPED AND THEY HAVE REACHED SATURATION POINT IN THE HILL STATES, THE FOREST COVER IS CRITICAL AND WE ARE TRYING TO REDUCE CONSTRUCTION TO AVOID COMPROMISING WITH THE ENVIRONMENT,” SAYS RENU SAHNI-DHAR, COMMISSIONER AND TOURISM SECRETARY FOR THE STATE.

BUT LOOKING AT THIS CAPACITY AND SOME OF THE OTHER DEVELOPED SPOTS, THEIR EFFORTS DO NOT SEEM TO HAVE MADE MUCH OF A DENT. SIMLA IS A VERITABLE CONCRETE JUNGLE WITH BUILDINGS SPOUTING FROM ALL NOOKS AND CRANNIES.

MANALI, ANOTHER WELL DEVELOPED SPOT, IS FAST LOSING ITS CHARACTER BECAUSE OF MUSHROOMING HOTELS. INDISCRIMINATE CONSTRUCTION, UGLY MOUNDS OF GARBAGE AND THE UBIQUITOUS PLASTIC BAGS ARE SNUFFING OUT THE LIFE-BLOOD OF THE DEVELOPED RESORTS, SAY ENVIRONMENTALISTS.

THE TOURISM DEPARTMENT HAS STARTED MAKING A CONSCIOUS EFFORT TO PROMOTE ECO-FRIENDLY TOURISM, SAYS DHAR. IT IS PROMOTING CAMP TOURISM IN ENVIRONMENT-FRIENDLY TENTS SO THAT THE VAST NUMBER OF PEOPLE CAN BE DISPERSED AT DIFFERENT ALTITUDES, SHE ADDS.

“MOST INDIANS FAVOUR CONCRETE HOTELS THOUGH SOME ARE NOW REALISING THE FUN AND IMPORTANCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL-FRIENDLY TENTS. OUR TARGET IS FOREIGNERS, AS THEY ARE PIONEER TOURISTS,” SAYS AN OFFICIAL. MORE THAN 75,000 FOREIGNERS VISIT SIMLA EVERY YEAR.

AT PRESENT THE STATE HAS 769 HOTELS AND LODGES IN ITS 55,673 SQ KMS OF TERRITORY WITH 19,340 BEDS. OFFICIALS ESTIMATE THAT BY THE TURN OF THE CENTURY THE STATE WILL REQUIRE A MINIMUM OF 35,000 BEDS.