Arun Joshi
It’s election season across the country, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari as it is stated to define length and breadth of India showcasing its unity in diversity and the political parties have come out with their manifestoes as they ride on their vision of future for the nation and posterity .There, however, is a lip service to the environmental issues, which are as critical to the survival of the nation as other issues .
Kashmir and Odisha, two of the major tourism icons in the country, attracting lakhs of tourists, including pilgrims, should have been brought into picture along with other states rich in tourism potential from Rajasthan to Gujarat, to show that the political will exists to save both tourism and environment in decades to come. Tourism may sound to be an instant-holiday- spending activity and exploring nature, but unless the permanency is brought, both can pose unimaginable dangers. The political part parties have failed to draw a roadmap even during Lok Sabha polls -2024, the outcome of which will be a defining moment for the country.
In some of the places, particularly Jammu and Kashmir, the parties have made boom in tourism in the union territory since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019 as a plank of victory over terrorism and one of the greatest ingredients in the new found peace . The appetite for more tourists is being sharpened and the BJP has unfolded its big plans to encourage more footfalls, setting a target of 30 million tourists in the coming years. This indeed is a success story bring more and more tourists setting a target of 30 million per year.
In Kashmir, it is a deliberate effort by the Government of India that has been ruling directly for the past nearly six years to bring more tourists to make a statement that the place is safe for the visitors to spend their holidays. It is also seeking to set up a connect between the people of Kashmir and the rest of the country in the post-abrogation of Article 370 era, and that was something very crucial to do as there existed mutual suspicions and the lack of trust had resulted in terror violence that lasted for over three decades since the beginning of 1990, considered as a zero year of the militancy in the Valley.
This high pursuit of tourists into environmentally- fragile Valley is also taking its toll on the natural resources. Glaciers are melting fast, vast and unplanned infrastructural development for tourism is impacting the air, water quality of the established tourist places and the new ones that are being explored on daily basis.
This is not the story of Kashmir alone. Tourism is expanding fast in the rest of the country. All states and union territories are competing with one another in wooing tourists and have given permission for the construction of infrastructure at the places, where concrete construction is a bane and not the boon. In the immediate context, it may appear that tourist footfall is enriching the local economy and in particular in expanding job market. The long-term consequences are not being taken into consideration at all.
Odisha , the eastern state on the coastline of Bay of Bengal , is one of the greatest attractions for tourists , those who enjoy its beaches and line up for the majestic and highly revered temples – Jagannath Puri , Chilka lake and its great culture . The tourists visiting show little respect for the environment , they feel as if they have paid for everything , and they can take liberties in dumping waste , which is toxic and harmful . This mindset of tourists is alarming.
A study by researchers last year, while underlining the environmental concerns, made an ominous prediction that Odisha might see erosion of its 200 kms out of 450 kms of its coastline . This is a disaster in making. In Puri, tourists bring waste with them, and the hoteliers are dumping sewage into sea. This environmental hazard can threaten the very tourism and sanctity of the place.
These concerns can be addressed when the political parties summon the courage to talk about healthy tourism in healthy environment. The growth of tourism must sit in balance with the healthy environment > neither can survive if the push is for tourists at the cost of environment.
Arun Joshi is author of “Eyewitness Kashmir; Teetering on Nuclear War and senior journalist based in Jammu and Kashmir, writes on South Asian affairs)
Disclaimer: This is the personal opinion of the author. The views expressed in this write-up have nothing to do with www.prameyanews.com.
