Kullu takes the lead in sustainable tourism development

With cloudburst, flash floods, glacial lakes and landslides wreaking havoc in many parts of the state every monsoon, the lead taken by some Gram Panchayats of Banjar block in Kullu to enforce a sustainable and culturally sensitive tourism development plan could be the answer to unregulated growth.

The landslides and cloudburst in the ecologically fragile districts of Kullu and Kinnaur two days back are a yet another reminder that haphazard construction activity and unregulated development, especially close to river banks and water bodies could wreak havoc. The horrifying images of the devastation caused by the 2023 monsoons are still fresh in the minds of people.

Four Gram Panchayats of Sarchi, Kalwari, Khadagad and Sajwaad in Banjar Valley of Kullu district have decided to enforce a sustainable and culturally sensitive tourism development plan. This, they feel will help maintain the traditional sanctity of the ‘Valley of Gods’ which is witnessing mushroom growth of tourism ventures and commercial activities. Another objective is to save the sacred Tirthan river flowing through the valley from getting polluted due to the unregulated construction activities.

In a bold initiative, the first of its kind by any panchayat in the state, a decision has been taken to regulate building construction under Section 14 and 13(h) of the Panchayati Raj Act 1994. A model plan for construction work regulation was unanimously accepted and approved by the Panchayat Samiti last month.

This initiative has been taken because of rapidly increasing unregulated construction work in Tirthan and Jibhi Valley. Haphazard commercial construction activities are going on the river bed and along the banks of the Tirthan River, besides illegal diversion of water resources, dumping of solid waste on the river banks by tourism units, which is very worrisome and could have serious implications.

Sensing the looming threat from such unusual physical disasters, the Himachal Government has taken the lead in the country by initiating the task of preparing a State Development Report on Climate Change. The report to be to prepared in partnership with UNDP will assess the potential impact on sectors like forest, tourism, agriculture, horticulture, health and irrigation due to climate change.

Himachal, with its fragile ecosystem, has suffered more than Rs 40,000 crore losses due to disasters triggered by flash floods, cloudbursts and landslides in the last five years. It is only mitigation measures which can help minimise the adverse impact of climate change.

“This is the first case of its kind in the state when Panchayats have united and implemented a model plan to deal with haphazard construction,” said Padam Singh, Senior Chief Advisor of Shojha Tourism Development Committee. This initiative has been taken to prevent concretisation and raising of had hazard building which will be nothing more than eye sores amidst the beautiful landscape, he asserts.

What is unfortunate is that despite several such disasters having taken place across the state at different times, there is little that we have learnt. Kullu, followed by Mandi district had suffered maximum damage to houses, roads, bridges and other infrastructure during the 2023 devastation.

Unless there is strict adherence to construction norms and proper monitoring mechanism, Himachal could face many more such natural disasters, causing a severe blow to the hill economy. Himachal will have to evolve its model of sustainable development where projects, creating the much-needed employment opportunities and heralding economic prosperity in interior parts of the state are implemented.