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Ecotourism opportunities in India- Ladakh shows the way

By: VK Bahuguna

Ladakh is nothing less than a paradise on earth for the nature lovers and the tourists. After the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A on 5th August 2019 the government of India constituted Ladakh as a Union Territory (UT). It was the fulfilment of long standing demand of people of Ladakh for a separate UT status. The entire UT is situated above 9500 feet with state Capital Leh is situated at a height of around 10,000 feet. The geographic area of the Ladakh is 96701 sq km (of which around 38,000 sq km is under Chinese occupation since 1962 war). The population of the UT is a little over 3 lakh. Ladakh is a paradise for the nature lovers and for those who like mountain adventure, is a part of the large Tibet Plateau and is now fast witnessing rapid stride in all around development. It is strategically a very vital part of India’s defence establishment. The famous and greatly venerated Sindhu River is the most prominent river of Ladakh as most of its towns like Leh, Basgo, and Tingmosgang are situated close to the Sindhu River.

Ladakh has unique flora and fauna. The vegetation is scanty and skimpy except along water streams and wetlands. The scientists of DRDO and other institutions have been exploring and researching the health and nutritional benefits of Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) shrub. The state has its own unique wild life with snow leopard on top of the pyramid. The other important species are Asiatic Ibex (mountain goat), Bharal (blue sheep), Tebetan urial, Tibetan antelope etc with a very high density of birds makes Ladakh with its pristine beauty a great place for the ecotourism. One of the most precious and costly item of Ladakh is ‘Pashmina shawls’ derived from the undercoat of a large number of domestic Goats. Pashmina Shawls are most sought after as a luxury fabric because of its softness, elegance and glossy shine. Large numbers of women self help groups are dependent upon Pashmina Shawls. According to Ms Abhilasa Bahuguna (who has created a cooperative of 400 Ladakh women for propagating and value addition of Ladakh Looms outside the UT and abroad) Looms of Ladakh have empowered large numbers of women and they have become financially independent and preserving the legacy of Looms.

These days lot of emphasis is on environmentally viable ‘Ecotourism’ with its direct link with people’s livelihoods. Ladakh is a paradise of Ecotourism due to its breathtaking landscape beauty, monasteries, mountain passes, flora and fauna and above all peace loving people and their unique art and culture and cuisines. Several States of the country have embarked upon encasing their landscape beauty and varied wildlife for better economic development and the work done by the Forest Department of Ladakh in promoting livelihood based tourism is a case in point for replication to other states as an environmentally sustainable and economically viable Ecotourism. Ladakh in the past few decades has long been subjected to unplanned tourism as a destination for adventure and its culture which also caused ecological disturbances in biodiversity and the landscape.

In order to ensure ecologically sustainable ecotourism the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) prepared a vision document 2025 focusing on participatory approach for the overall development and conservation of its forest and other natural resources. The basic idea of participatory micro level planning for rural development was focused on Ecotourism so that the negative impacts of conservation and declaring National Parks could be offset by providing opportunities for the income generation for the people and at the same time to help tourists to enjoy the beauty of the place & its culture in a sustainable manner without effecting its ecology. For livelihood generation focus was on creation of clean and hygienic home stay facilities; camp site management, reviving the traditional arts and crafts like Pashmina Shawls, training facilities for the nature guides for the tourists. It was done through formation of women self help groups and creation of entrepreneurship development in the travel business. Special efforts on training the nature guides were made so that they are well versed with geomorphology and the flora and fauna of the Ladakh and peculiarities of its National Parks. A cadre of professionally trained young people for Ecotourism has been created in the State and special field guides for Floral diversity, Mammals and Birds have been prepared to make the people coming from outside well versed. The administration had created Camping sites for the visitors on paid basis and the guides are trained in maintaining these sites and tents. The villagers are specially trained to manage these sites for the waste disposal, checking pollution and sanitation.

The Home stay programme in about 1500 houses is running for last 15 to 16 years and the villagers are trained in cooking the local dishes, projection of Ladakh culture and in sanitation. The charges for the rooms are from Rs 700 to Rs 1000. One home stay in one season is earning anything from Rs 1 lakh to 5 lakhs. The management of home stay is the best way to show the local life and its culture and is one of the unique point of Ecotourism activities in Ladakh which can be replicated in other States. The UT administration has been regularly training the women self help groups and the villagers in a decentralized manner. The administration is making special efforts to focus on the renewable energy and have so far created 7000 solar Home lighting, 5000 solar Lantern, 4500 solar cookers have been installed, 128 Solar Power Plants have been installed and 2700 Green Houses have been working. All travel agents are supposed to bring back the garbage and ‘Cash for Trash’ scheme is greatly helping Ladakh to remain clean and pollution free. Under this scheme the villagers collect trash for which the Forest department pays them for the recyclable trash annually. The UT had won ‘Best Responsible Tourism Award’ in 2014 as it had not only impacted its economy by increasing significantly the income of the people, have created employment opportunities for the youth, ensured village electrification and above all strengthened the biodiversity of the Ladakh. 

Mr Jigmet Tapka IFS now PCCF and Head of Forest Force is the architect of bringing community based participatory environmentally sustainable Ecotourism in Ladakh and integrating it with the tenets of forest and wildlife conservation. His services could be utilized by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in promoting Ecotourism in the country. Ecotourism has great scope in India and it should be integrated with forest conservation and rural development. If implemented through a national programme it can generate revenue from the 23 % of the forests of the country for the government apart from creating opportunities for the rural folks to increase their incomeand also show casing their culture. Will this win-win situation spread beyond Ladakh is a moot point! (1100 words)

Comments

Dr (Prof) Sadhana Kala said…
yes, ecotourism can be an important source of revenue and also protect the environment. Well articulated.
July 17, 2023 at 10:00 PM
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