Plastic peril in hills: Dhauladhar’s fragile beauty suffers under tourist trash

The pristine Dhauladhar range — encompassing popular destinations like Bir-Billing, Rajgundha, Multhan and Palampur — is facing a growing ecological crisis due to rampant littering by tourists and trekkers. Despite repeated pleas from environmentalists and local residents, authorities, including the forest department, have failed to take concrete action, leaving the green hills increasingly vulnerable to plastic pollution.

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A recent visit to the region revealed an alarming sight: tourists leaving behind heaps of garbage, including plastic bottles, wrappers and liquor bottles. On average, a single visitor is estimated to generate 3 to 4 kg of waste. With over 200 vehicles entering the Chhota Bhanghal and Barot areas daily, the waste load is immense. Barot, a fast-emerging tourist hotspot, is among the worst-hit. Here, in the absence of any formal waste management system, trash from hotels and homes is reportedly being dumped directly into the Uhal river.

The crisis is intensifying with the onset of the peak tourist season, during which more than five lakh visitors are expected in the valley. Tourists from neighboring states — Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir and Chandigarh — frequently head to the Dhauladhar hills for short trips, often leaving behind a trail of litter that scars the landscape.

Environmentalists have raised alarm over the increasing levels of non-biodegradable waste choking rivers, polluting forests and endangering local flora and fauna. They are urging the government to immediately initiate awareness campaigns. Suggestions include distributing pamphlets at state borders and major tourist entry points to educate travellers on responsible tourism and the hazards of plastic littering.

Residents of Palampur, Baijnath and Bir-Billing report that plastic waste is now a common sight in high-altitude areas and forest trails. In a commendable effort, Palampur Municipal Corporation Councillor Anish Nag and his team from the Bundla Youth Club recently collected hundreds of empty liquor bottles and plastic trash from the Neugal river, nearby forests and along water channels.

Palampur Municipal Corporation Commissioner Ashish Sharma acknowledged the urgency of the situation, emphasising the need for stronger support from state agencies. “Sustaining the biodiversity of this region is impossible without tourist cooperation,” he said. “It’s unfortunate that some visitors, lacking basic civic sense, continue to throw plastic items into rivers and forests after use.”

As the hills brace for another busy tourist season, the need for collective action — from the government, local communities and travellers themselves — has never been more pressing.