Garbage littering by tourists, trekkers in Dhauladhars a threat to ecology

The pristine Dhauladhar mountains comprising areas like Bir-Billing, Rajgundha, Multhan, Kothikohar and Barot are grappling with an alarming ecological threat due to unchecked littering. Tourists and trekkers discard garbage, including plastic waste and empty bottles, while visiting these areas, endangering the region’s green ecosystem.

Environmentalists and local residents have repeatedly raised concern over the problem but the authorities, including the Forest Department, have remained unconcerned. After the opening of the Bir-Barot road, the situation has worsened. In the absence of any check from the authorities concerned, green forests have turned into garbage dumps.

At weekends, a large number of tourists from Punjab, Chandigarh, Jammu and Kashmir and Delhi flock to Bir-Billing, Rajgundha and the Barot valley. They often leave behind a trail of trash that mars both beauty and ecology of the mountains. According to area residents, heaps of garbage comprising plastic packets, water bottles and foils can be seen in the upper areas of the Dhauladhar ranges.

Bir-Billing, Rajgundha and Chhota Bhangal have emerged as new tourist spots in the past few years. Experts say that one tourist generates an average of 3 kg or 4 kg of waste. Hundreds of vehicles carrying tourists enter Chhota Bhangal and Barot every day. Garbage littered around the mountains is now a common sight in the higher reaches of the Dhauladhars. Often, tourists and trekkers throw garbage while trekking to high mountains. This endangers the ecology of these areas as plastic waste takes years to break down.

The situation at Barot, Multhan and Rajgundha, which have emerged as new tourist destinations, is worse. There is no arrangement for handling garbage generated by hotels and locals. Most of the garbage is thrown in the Uhal river. Experts and activists express concern over garbage dumping in the river and demand proper monitoring by the authorities concerned

After the monsoon, there has been a manifold increase in the tourist footfall, especially at weekend. Local environmentalists have urged the government to launch initiatives to educate tourists and pilgrims not to litter plastic and other waste in green hills, water channels and roadside. Pamphlets containing awareness material should be distributed at borders, an environmentalist adds.

“Sustaining the biodiversity of the area is not possible without the cooperation of tourists. It is unfortunate that some visitors lack civic sense and throw plastic items in forests, rivers and rivulets,” says KB Ralhan, a member of People’s Voice, a local NGO.

Anurag Sharma, president of the Bir-Billing Paragliding Association, says that the government should impose a green tax and the money so collected should be utilised for keeping the hills clean. He adds that at present, neither the Forest Department nor the Special Area Development Agency (SADA) has no funds to manage the problem. He claims that Kerala, Kashmir and Uttarakhand have already levied a green tax and Himachal should also follow suit.