Even as Arunachal is marketing itself to the world of tourism, it cannot be reiterated enough that as a community, we need to be cautious, as we have witnessed several hilly states facing the undesirable impact of aggressive tourism. It is heartening to note that even the chief minister has been stressing on responsible tourism.
If you drive along the Bhalukpong-Bomdila-Dirang-Tawang circuit, you will find every second vehicle you meet bears an Assam registration number and is most likely a tourist taxi. During the autumn/spring season this circuit is especially popular among tourists from neighbouring Assam and other parts of the world. A concerted effort by the state government, agencies and the dawn of new-age social media influencers has cemented Arunachal’s pristine beauty among global citizens. As the state braces for more tourist footfall, it is important to embark on sustainable mountain tourism to check the impact on mountain landscapes.
With the rush to hill stations to enjoy the scenery and crisp air, comes the nightmare of the growing waste crisis especially the growing plastic pollution. As more tourists make their way to mountain states, they leave behind ecological footprint. With increase in footfall, wastes especially plastic wastes are dumped along the tourist circuit. . Packaging of potato chips, plastic water/juice bottles etc can be found in the remotest of locations, a telling sign that things will only get worse if steps are not taken.  Tawang, Bomdila, Dirang and many other tourist hubs of Arunachal clearly don’t have an efficient waste management system in place to tackle this growing problem. There is an urgent need for policymakers to deliberate on potential solutions and policy mechanisms that can effectively tackle the plastic waste in the mountains, otherwise, things will get out of hand not too far from now.
Sustainable tourism in mountains can contribute to creating additional and alternative livelihood options and promoting poverty alleviation, social inclusion, as well as landscape and biodiversity conservation.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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