GS Paper 3
Syllabus: Conservation, Environmental Pollution and Degradation, Environmental Impact Assessment
Source: DTE
Context: Over the last year, the Union government has laid emphasis on promoting sustainable tourism in the Himalayan region.
Background:
- The Indian Himalayan region, with its rich biodiversity, offers conditions suitable for several activities (recreation/adventure/religious pilgrimages) and attracts a large number of visitors from all over the world.
- As tourism is an important source of income and livelihood for people living in this region, it must be ensured that these activities take place in a sustainable manner.
Recent efforts:
- National Strategy for Sustainable Tourism and Responsible Traveller Campaign: Launched in 2022 by the Union Ministry of Tourism, it focuses on
- Promotion of environmental, economic and socio-cultural sustainability;
- Protection of biodiversity;
- Capacity-building and governance;
- Greater investment in green infrastructure with more efficient transport facilities reduced air pollution, and conservation of heritage sites and open spaces.
- Swadesh Darshan 2.0: It is a centrally sponsored scheme for the development of theme-based tourist circuits in the country, including a vision to set up sustainable and responsible tourism in the Himalayan region.
Some challenges need greater focus:
- Mass tourism: Seasons play a role as a major tourist activity is confined to just a few months in a year – during the peak summer season.
- Greater anthropogenic pressure on existing infrastructure and local resources during the summer months.
- More generation of solid waste, ambient air pollution, water pollution and deforestation.
- Shift is seen in snowfall and melting patterns due to climate change-related impacts.
Way ahead:
- Reduce mass tourism and inculcate a spirit of conservation among locals and tourists.
- Promoting ecotourism (which involves responsible travel and safeguarding of local environment and ecosystems), alternative or green tourism.
- Decentralisation of tourism activities based on the available resources in any place. Tourists would also be able to access the benefits of the largely untouched environment.
- Developing tourist systems in northeastern states that have great potential for ecotourism activities.
- Assessing the carrying capacity of municipal infrastructure prior to development works.
Combat pollution:
- By practising microbial bio composting: the best way of natural disintegration and decomposition of waste under aerobic process.
- To combat air pollution, planting locally available (like broad-leaved banj oak), introducing electric vehicles, using non-conventional energy sources like solar, etc.
- Pine forests, which often witness fires, can be used to make bio-briquettes (used as a substitute for biofuel) and purify water resources.
Involve all stakeholders:
- Any sustainable approach undertaken should involve the local communities, visitors, etc. Encourage skill and capacity-building programmes to spread awareness among different stakeholders.
- Visitors should learn the rules and good practices to be adopted while travelling through these areas.
Insta Links:
Mains Links:
Define the concept of the carrying capacity of an ecosystem as relevant to an environment. Explain how understanding this concept is vital while planning for the sustainable development of a region. (UPSC 2019)
