24/08/2006



Introduction
The state of Jammu and Kashmir combines three distinct areas, each unique physically, culturally and aesthetically. Not only do people in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh live in radically different environments; they also speak different languages, worship different gods and think along separate cultural lines. Jammu is predominantly a Hindu dominated area on the foothills of the mighty Himalayas. Kashmir is a large valley, about the size of Haryana, perched between the Pir-Panjal and the Zanskar Ranges. The valley is inhabited mostly by followers of Islam. Nestled between the Himalayas, the Kashmir valley is, in the words of Mughal Emperor Babur, the paradise on earth. Kashmir lies strategically between Central Asia and China.

The Ancient Silk Route passed for most of its distance through the valley. The valley is famous since ancient times as being a nature-lover’s wonderland and fulfilling every whim of a tourist who arrives here. The landscape changes dramatically after the Zojila pass which separates Kashmir from Ladakh region. The area having a dominant Buddhist population is unique in itself and presents a sharp contrast from the Kashmiri landscape. The Ladakhi landscape, which lies on the leeward side of the mountain range, comprises of barren and deserted Himalayas much unlike the thickly forested Kashmiri hills.

The state of Jammu and Kashmir is one of the most environmentally sensitive areas in the world owing to its unique ecology. Much to our disappointment the area has witnessed over four decades of violence due to a boundary dispute between India and Pakistan which dates back to their independence. Such disputes have had a devastating effect on the state’s environment with deforestation increasing at an alarming rate, the lakes and wetlands shrinking, rising incidence of water and soil pollution and mounting pressure on natural resources due to growth in tourism over the last two years.


Growth in tourism is thus closely linked to changes in the environment. Each tourist site can only tolerate a limited number of tourists without adversely affecting its environment and any infrastructural development should consider such limitations.

The instant report analyses the effect of tourism on environment in the Kashmir valley. Tourism is perhaps the most important industry in Kashmir and provides employment to a large number of people in the valley.[ii]

Though from late 1980’s till about 2003 the number of tourists visiting Kashmir fell drastically due to rise of militancy in the area. However due to repeated efforts of the Central and State governments and the Indian Army, militancy is now restricted to only a few districts in the state and tourist numbers are increasing as dramatically as they fell. Last year saw the revival of tourist industry in Kashmir with about 40, 000 tourists visiting the valley and the numbers this year have increased to 1 lack tourists till the mid-June.[iii]

Thus currently entire Kashmir seems to be on the brink of an economic boom, with a new government and numerous infrastructural projects in line. The instant report explores the relationship between tourism and environment in Kashmir and concludes with suggestions that should be kept in mind while developing infrastructure in the valley to accommodate the growth in tourism.

Tourism is one of the world’s fastest growing industries at present. The industry employs, directly and indirectly, about a billion people around the world, that’s about one-sixth of the world’s population being dependent upon tourism in some form or the other. The emphasis must thus be on sustainable development of the tourism industry keeping in mind and giving due respect to the environmental concerns while formulating growth plans.

Tourism and Environment
It does not take long for one to link growth of tourism with a rising concern for the natural environment of the place. Negative impacts from tourism occur when the level of visitor use is greater than the environment's ability to cope with this use within the acceptable limits of change. Uncontrolled conventional tourism poses potential threats to many natural areas around the world. It can put enormous pressure on an area and lead to impacts such as soil erosion, increased pollution, discharges into the sea, natural habitat loss, increased pressure on endangered species and heightened vulnerability to forest fires. It often puts a strain on water resources, and it can force local populations to compete for the use of critical resources.

Negative impacts of tourism on environment may be classified broadly into three main areas: natural resources, pollution and physical impacts.

Depletion of Natural Resources
Tourism development can put pressure on natural resources when it increases consumption in areas where resources are already scarce.

Water is the most important natural resource available as it is the basic ingredient for sustaining life. The tourism industry generally overuses water for hotels, personal use, maintenance of golf courses and swimming pools etc. Though several rivers flow through the Kashmir valley, surprising as it may sound, some districts of Kashmir have been facing drought for the last few years. This is largely due to drying up of canals as a result of deforestation, which further affects the amount of rainfall, received.

Tourism also puts tremendous pressure upon the local resources like energy, food and other raw materials that may already be in short supply. Because of the seasonal character of the industry, many destinations have ten times more inhabitants in the high season as in the low season. For instance most of the food grain cooked in Kashmir comes from neighboring Punjab and such demand of food grains far exceeds supply during peak summer months. The tourists thus often have to eat rice, which is grown locally in the valley.

Moreover Hotels and entertainment complexes are big energy guzzlers. Growth of tourism industry requires adequate infrastructure, which results in an increased demand for power. Thus more power plants have to be constructed to meet the energy requirements of a booming economy. In Jammu and Kashmir for instance, the government has invested more than Rs. 200 Crore on the 900 MW Baglihar Hydro Electric Power Project [iv] on River Chenab in the Doda district. The damning of Chenab would mean submerging an area of about 13, 000 kanals under water. This figure includes a submerged forest area of about 7, 000 kanals and another 1, 400 kanals of submerged cultivable land.[v] The Baglihar project, as the government puts it, is crucial to ensure sustainable development of the economy of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, as it will provide valuable power, which will fuel industrial growth in the valley.

Pollution
Tourism can cause the same forms of pollution as any other industry: air emissions, noise, solid waste and littering, releases of sewage, oil and chemicals, even architectural/visual pollution. Transport by air, road, and rail is continuously increasing in response to the rising number of tourists and their greater mobility. Air pollution from tourist transportation has impacts on the global level, especially from carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions related to transportation energy use. And it can contribute to severe local air pollution.

Moreover in areas with high concentrations of tourist activities and appealing natural attractions, waste disposal is a serious problem and improper disposal can be a major despoiler of the natural environment - rivers, scenic areas, and roadsides. In mountain areas, trekking tourists generate a great deal of waste. Tourists on expedition leave behind their garbage, oxygen cylinders and even camping equipment. Such practices degrade the environment with all the detritus typical of the developed world, in remote areas that have few garbage collection or disposal facilities.[vi]

Physical Impacts
Attractive landscape sites, such as sandy beaches, lakes, riversides, and mountain tops and slopes, are often transitional zones, characterized by species-rich ecosystems. Typical physical impacts include the degradation of such ecosystems. Physical impacts are caused not only by tourism-related land clearing and construction, but by continuing tourist activities and long-term changes in local economies and ecologies.

Shrinking Dal Lake
Dal lake, situated in Srinagar on the banks of river Jhelum, is one of the largest natural lakes in the world. The lake, better known as the jewel of Kashmir valley, harbours an entire community of people who have been living in houseboats for centuries apart from vast reserves of rich aquatic life. The lake has permanent residents, market places and floating gardens all accessible in a shikara, which is used by locals to travel around the city.

The lake epitomizing the beauty of Kashmir has always been an immensely popular tourist attraction. The growth of tourists and infrastructure has put tremendous pressure on the lake and has been adversely harming the lake’s ecosystem for almost five decades now.

The constant growth of houseboats catering to tourist traffic on the Dal and rampant urbanization on the shores of the lake has been depleting its resources. The lake has thus astonishingly shrunk in size. Compared to 1907 records, the lake has decreased 50 percent in volume, from 22 to 11 square kilometers. In the intervening years, the lake has changed in other ways as well. Today, Dal lake has become a clear-cut example of environmental degradation in a Himalayan lake Eco-system. The process known as Eutrophication has begun to set in. Eutrophication results when the lake waters become artificially enriched with nutrients, causing abnormal plant growth. Runoff of chemical fertilizers from the vast drainage basin around the lake, sewage and other oxygen demanding wastes, which bring in 15 tons of phosphorous and 300 tons of nitrogen every year combine to place the lake's internal life processes under severe stress. Oxygen levels fall, the fish die out and the lake loses its aesthetic appeal. Decaying organic matter produces disagreeable odors and unsightly green scum of algae and weed infested waterways. Although the Dal has not reached such an advanced level of eutrophication, the process has begun to set in. Tourism has added increased pressure on the delicate environment of the Dal. For instance, the number of house-boats surrounding the Dal Lake in Kashmir has grown to 1400 from 400 in 1975. If current trends continue, the Dal Lake will be destroyed within 80 years.[vii]

The Dal lake undoubtedly is one of the most scenic lakes in India. Sadly enough though the careless attitude of the state officials over the years has resulted in unchecked pollution of the Dal lake. The lake today is being overrun by weeds, choked by silt and is saturated with pollution. As Aziz Massoud, a houseboat owner points out, “fifteen years ago I used to drink water directly from the lake, but today the water is so polluted that it is even unfit for swimming”. With changing times and governments however a new sun dawns at the Dal today giving it hope of near complete revival. Seriousness of efforts being undertaken to clean up the Dal Lake are visible to everyone. Mowers and harvesters are working along with numerous women on the lake to remove weeds and other unwanted vegetation in the lake. The state administration through the Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA) [viii] with the help of the locals has undertaken this daring task of cleaning up the Dal.

More than machines however a legal system needs to be developed by the state, which, will help, restore Dal back to its beauty and further check unguided exploitation of the lake. The Ramsar Convention 1971 [ix] was formulated to conserve global wetlands. Wetlands or marshy areas form a unique and sensitive ecosystem, the loss of which is irreparable. The success of Ramsar Convention is demonstrated by the fact that it has been signed by 138 nations, all of them undertaking legal obligation of protecting their wetlands.

Article 2 (1) of the convention mandates each contracting party to designate suitable wetlands within its territory for inclusion in the list of wetlands of international importance. The nations interestingly though agreed on a very wide definition of wetlands in Article 1 of the convention which embraces an enormous variety of habitat including not only those falling within traditional conceptions of wetlands (such as mangrove swamps, peat bogs, tidal flats, and water meadows), but also many other natural features (among them coastal beaches and waters, freshwater lakes and rivers, and even underground karst systems) and man-made sites (such as rice paddies, reservoirs, and flooded gravel pits).

India has listed 19 sites in the list of wetlands and the Wular Lake is the only wetland listed from the Kashmir region. However numerous wetlands can be easily spotted along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway in the Kashmir Valley. Wetlands perform a wide variety of functions including flood control, shoreline stabilization, sediment, nutrient and toxicant retention and food chain support. Surprisingly however except for Wular Lake (largest fresh water lake in India) all the wetlands of the Kashmir valley have not yet been listed with the convention’s list of wetlands. Amongst other wetlands the Dal Lake makes the strongest case for a Ramsar listing. The lake supports over 4, 000 people and is the lifeline of Srinagar. Internationally recognized, a Ramsar listing would initiate immediate relief efforts to save the lake.[x] Even a country size of Netherlands has about 50 sites listed while United Kingdom has over 150 sites listed with the smallest site being only 14 ha. Thus in all 1367 sites covering an area of 120,514,364 hectares have been designated as wetlands of international importance. India probably has thousands of such probable sites, which can be listed including some important lakes and marshy areas (Rann of Kutch etc).

Once a site has been designated as a wetland of international importance legal obligations as enshrined in Article 4 of the Convention follow. Though the convention enunciates only minimal obligations of promoting conservation of wetlands, it establishes a conference of parties, which constantly monitors and reviews the implementation of the convention. It is thus suggested that one of the ways to accelerate the restoration and conservation efforts at Dal Lake could be through its designation as a wetland of international importance.

Deforestation in J & K
The previous section of this report concentrated solely on the devastation of Dal Lake due to growing unguided tourism. The lake however forms a microscopic portion of the damage suffered by areas around the state. Efforts to restore Dal Lake have largely been initiated because of the media coverage and historical importance of the lake. Unfortunately such coverage is limited only to important sites and public is kept at bay about the ongoing environmental damage they are causing in other parts of the state and the state administration does nothing else but to sit quietly or at the most plan but not implement conservation policies. One standard excuse that I have heard from those I met was that the state faces an acute shortage of funds and in such circumstances it becomes difficult to divert the treasury monies towards conservation activities. Though indeed one cannot discount that there exists a paucity of funds but undeniably there exists a case for allocating higher funds especially in the light of numerous pronouncements by apex Court making right to safe and healthy environment a fundamental right.

Deforestation is perhaps the central environmental complexity plaguing the state. The state is home to a wide variety of species including the famous “Chinar trees”, walnut trees, cedar, oak, pine trees amongst numerous others. It’s the forests of the valley that make the surrounding mountains look as if they have put on pounds of green flesh over themselves adding to the serene beauty of the valley. It may be interesting to note here that topography changes rapidly in the state and only about 150 kms from Srinagar, situated amidst green hills, the mountains seem as if stripped of their green flesh. The Ladakh region falls on the other side of the Zanskar Mountain Range which receives less or no rainfall. The mountains here are barren and without any forest cover unlike those in Kashmir valley which are or were once covered by heavy forests.[xi]

As the state readies itself to absorb more tourists, forests become unfortunate victims. Forests are being cut to make roads and highways, hotels and guest houses, furniture and cricket bats and for a host of other reasons. Driving on the Jammu-Srinagar-Leh Highway (considered by many as life line of J & K), the signs of deforestation are unmistakably visible. Along the road sides one can see for long distances that trees have been cut to either to make available more land for agriculture or for some construction activity. Moreover one cannot miss numerous forest fires in the area which alone destroy thousands of acres of forests every year.

There seems little education amongst the locals as regards protection of forests. After years of trouble signs of normalcy are returning back to the valley and forest wood is an easy and abundantly available source of income. Though I am unaware of any forest policy that the state might have made, it is certain that state today needs a policy which can show results in the form of genuine statistics as regard an increase in area under forest cover. Nonetheless I was told that state has drafted a policy whereby it plans to educate villagers and divert funds to village committees to assist state officials in saving the precious forests.

Recently the state government announced its plans of linking the remotest corners of the state with roads. Undoubtedly the measure is one which will boost the state ailing economy, but I can just hope that only one person amongst those who drafts such policy is concerned about cutting trees or making new green patches.

One must not forget that the Kashmiri timber is valuable not only to Kashmiri businessmen but also to natural environment in which they live and in which their future generations will prosper.

Other Environmental Problems in J & K
Disappearing wildlife is possibly the third most important environmental concern in the state after Dal Lake and Deforestation. The state is full of rare species of animals including the famous “Hanguls” (a breed of Dear), Musk Dear, Kashmiri Black bear, Snow Leopards amongst others which once inhabited almost every part of the valley.

Animals cannot speak and that’s probably why the officials haven’t been able to hear these innocents complaining. Wildlife of the state has been a silent spectator to clashes between the Army and Militants, to losing their habitat through persistent deforestation, increased number of tourists, poaching etc. One by one the species inhabiting the valley were included on the endangered animals List. I am of the opinion that the State government has hardly done anything to protect and preserve wildlife. Other issues, but yes of course, were way more important. The utter apathy shown towards the wildlife is clearly depicted from statements of the locals who immediately recall those days, not long back, when dears and marmots and squirrels used to share human territory.

It may thus be suggested that the state government undertake an immediate study of all the sensitive zones in the state and declare as many of them as limits of sustainable development permit, protected zones. The locals should be educated about their wildlife and the urgent need to conserve it. Most importantly funds should be made available for such projects and routine overview of their implementation must be undertaken.

Landslides are another problem facing the entire state and almost all hilly areas of the country. Landslides occur when the soil binding the hills becomes soft enough that it can no longer be bound to the mountain rock and thus flows down into the valley. The only permanent solution to Landslides is forestation. Their number have swollen up largely due to consistent efforts of deforesting the mountains leaving the top soil loosely bound to the rock and thereby resulting in a landslide.

Landslides are a common sight along the hill roads. While constructing such roads forests in the area are cut and then explosives are used to cut through the rock to build roads. Understandable this is done in public interest and it would be unfair to blame the brave soldiers of Border Roads Organization for employing such construction techniques. The problem as I see it is the one of technology and it is only a matter of time before better techniques are available for undertaking construction of such infrastructure projects. Although as a temporary measure the sensitive areas of a mountain with lose soil are lines with bricks or railings so as to bind the soil and to prevent a possible landslide.

Conclusion
Tourism has been considered a major issue by environmentalists so far as environmental damage to natural tourist sites is concerned. Poor planning of tourism schemes and alarming growth of the industry are major factors responsible for the ecological damage.

For Kashmir the worst is not over yet. It is only after normalcy returns back to the paradise that its effects will become prominent and noticeable. There are various factors which contribute to destruction of environment. Tourism is but just one of them. War and conflict is another factor and an important one especially is a comprehensive study of Kashmir’s environment is to be made. Though the current project has confined itself only to the effect of tourism on Kashmir’s environment, one cannot discount the fact that may be more than tourism it’s the decades old war between two nations that has left the environment is unintentional victim. Forests have been cut to make Military bases, army roads, hideouts and else. The effect of war on environment must though not be looked from a poignant viewpoint as that might bring in the vagaries of personal emotions in way of a genuine analysis of environments critical condition.

The conclusion however would not undertake an analysis of what has been said in the report itself. This section includes suggestions through which tourism could actually assist in improving the condition of environment. Now all throughout the tourism has been seen from an angle where it stands as an accused guilty of harming the environment. Towards the end we may provide some flexibility to our thoughts and look the other side of tourism, one which is dedicated to preserving the environment. The motivation for providing such viewpoint should be given to a United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) report [xii] which lists out ways and methods through which tourism can actually contribute to a safe and healthy environment.
Financial contribution – Revenue collected from tourists can be utilized to preserve the environment and more specifically can be directed towards sensitive zones. The J & K government has recently done something similar by charging a tax of Rs 50/- from each tourist entering the meadows of Gulmarg or valleys of Pahalgam and Sonamarg (along the historical Sind River). Such revenue is directed towards development and environmental conservation schemes in that particular area. The revenue collected seems to be making a difference in these areas as for instance till last year Pahalgam did not even have a single High School, but it has one today thanks to the revenue collected from incoming tourists. Moreover the entire meadow of Gulamrg has been made a protected zone and partially a Golf Course to ensure that it remains unspoilt through human intrusion.

Raising Environmental Awareness – Ecologically sensitive tourists increase the potential of locals towards conserving the environment. The difference that tourists towards raising levels of environmental consciousness can be easily seen in important tourist centers in the valley as locals there have started using eco-friendly techniques and are actively participating in enforcing prohibition on the use of plastics.

Protection and Preservation – Principally tourism can perhaps be the single most important reason for conserving the natural beauty. A tourist site will maintain its importance if it remains unchanged naturally and still maintains its attractiveness. Thus tourism can help speed up efforts of sustaining the natural environment of the place in order to attract more tourists. But this however has to be done with careful planning and support of the locals. Laws should be formulated which lay down stringent criterion for running a hotel or shop in an ecologically sensitive and tourist attracting zone.

Alternative Employment – Case studies have shown that growth in tourism has resulted in a decrease in unemployment levels thus providing jobs to those who were previously engaged in timber extraction, hunting, and mobile agriculture (Forests are cut to grow food crops and once the soil loses its fertility the inhabitants move over to another place and cut more trees).

The state of Jammu & Kashmir is a natural and inevitable destination for tourists. Its unique beauty, the fabled gardens, the shimmering lakes the snow peaks, the flowing rivulets, the majestic Chinars, the tall Deodars, the rolling valleys, the fascinating trekking trails and innumerable adventure possibilities – all these beckon the tourists. Kashmir is indeed a unique place on earth with perhaps no other place even coming remotely closer to its beauty. One has to be there to see the marvels that Kashmir has been offering to its visitors since ancient times. Tourism can change the face of nature as it has done in some parts of the Kashmir Valley, but I would go by the ‘never too late spirit’ and suggest that environment and tourism can both coexist harmoniously but with concentrated and dedicated efforts, as the state readies itself to take its pride place on the global tourist map.


- Ajit Sharma, Associate, JM Sharma & Co., Advocates & Solicitors, New Delhi. The author may be contacted at ajit@jmsharma.com.
[ii] According to one estimate, 30 per cent of the state’s population are directly or indirectly connected with this activity subscribing 16 per cent of the state’s domestic product. Source : Jammu and Kashmir Development Report Submitted to the Planning Commission of India.
[iii] Kashmir Images, June 9, 2004.
[iv] The project has however been opposed by Pakistan, which maintains that damning of Chenab is a violation of the Indus Water Treaty 1960. India on its part has denied such charges and argues that supply of Chenab water to Pakistan will not be affected so as to violate treaty provisions.
[v] www.doda.nic.in
[vi] Problem of pollution becomes particularly evident in sparsely populated areas. For instance Chandanwari at a height of 2900 meters is the base camp for Amarnath cave. Each year about 1-2 lack yatris camp at the place during July-August and the pollution so generated is visible year round with almost no one responsible for cleaning operations after the yatra. Plastic bottles and bags amongst other non-biodegradable objects can still be seen around. They deplete local forests for firewood, trample local vegetation, and strew litter. Even worse, this tourism frequently induces poorly planned, land-intensive development.
[vii] www.kewa.org. Dr. M.R.D. Kundangar, who heads a project that monitors the lake, puts the figure at 30 years.
[viii] The Dal, which earlier had an area of 75 square kilometer was reduced to only 13 Sq km when Authority took over. The measures taken by LAWDA include marginal dredging of Hazratbal basin. Dredging and deweeding at various places in and around the lake is presently in full swing and it is by these efforts that the authority has been able to retrieve an area of 0.85 Sq. Kms of Dal and Nigeen lake till date. About 12,0000 Cum of wet weed is being removed annually. The authority also claims to have successfully completed rehabilitation of 1106 families of Dal dwellers and has brought down many illegal structures on the lake. Source: Greater Kashmir Srinagar, June 20, 2004.
[ix] Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat, signed at Ramsar, Iran on February 2, 1971. For more information on the convention see www.ramsar.org.
[x] The famous Chilka Lake in Orissa was in similar state of decay in 1980’s and 1990’s as the Dal Lake today is. Though after being listed as Wetland of International importance the government formed Chilika Development Authority for restoration and overall development of the lagoon. Through community participation and unique management practices, the authority has met with a lot of success as far as restoration work on the lake is concerned and also won the Ramsar Wetland Award 2002 for its efforts. Similar efforts can be replicated in the Dal Lake, provided the government takes such initiative.
[xi] Thick forest cover in Kashmir valley is one of the chief reasons that the Military officers cite to counter terrorism in the state. They say that such forests provide easy hideouts to the militants. One may also be reminded of the movie ‘Lakshya’ released recently and shot in Ladakh which depicts barren landscape of Ladakhi Mountains in contrast to the hills of Kashmir.
[xii] The short study is available at www.uneptie.org/pc/tourism/sust-tourism/home.htm.