Impact of Tourism and urbanization on Kashmir’s environment

Source: The post Impact of Tourism and urbanization on Kashmir’s environment has been created, based on the article “A tourism policy ill-suited for Jammu and Kashmir” published in “The Hindu” on 7th August 2024.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS paper 3 – Ecology, and environment

Context: The article discusses how tourism and urbanization are harming Kashmir’s environment. It highlights the impact of overcrowding, poor waste management, and climate change on the region. It calls for a sustainable tourism model to protect Kashmir’s fragile ecosystem and support locals.

For detailed information on Challenges faced by towns in the Indian Himalayan Range read this article here

How is tourism affecting Kashmir’s environment?

1. Over 4 crore tourists have visited since the introduction of the new tourism policy in 2020, including 1.2 million tourists in the first half of 2024.
2. Increased tourism has led to deforestation, waste accumulation, and unregulated construction, harming the environment, especially in areas like Pahalgam and the Trikuta ranges.
3. Poor waste management is increasing pollution in waterbodies, further degrading the ecosystem.
4. The tourism boom has resulted in a rise in construction, disrupting wildlife habitats and increasing soil erosion.
5. Groundwater is being depleted at an alarming rate due to higher demand from the growing tourist infrastructure.
6. Unchecked tourism was a key factor in the 2014 catastrophic floods, which caused widespread destruction and displaced thousands of people in Kashmir.
7. Rising demand for water and electricity strains local resources, depleting groundwater and requiring more hydroelectric projects.

How is climate change worsening the situation?

1. Climate change is causing glaciers in Kashmir to deplete rapidly, leading to water shortages in the region.
2. The Valley faces an agricultural drought due to below-average rainfall and erratic weather patterns.
3. Rivers and streams have less water, impacting irrigation and threatening crop yields, which may cause food shortages.
4. This water scarcity worsens economic conditions for farmers.

What natural disasters does the region face?

1. Kashmir is prone to natural disasters like floods, earthquakes, landslides, and avalanches.
2. The region lies in a seismically active zone, making it vulnerable to earthquakes.
3. The catastrophic floods of 2014 affected around 5 million people, causing economic losses of ₹5,400 crore-₹5,700 crore.
4. Flash floods in 2022, caused by a cloudburst near Amarnath, killed 16 people and left 40 missing.
5. Construction activities for tourism in fragile areas often trigger landslides, as seen in the Wayanad landslide in Kerala, where over 200 lives were lost.

What Should be Done?

1. To protect Kashmir, a sustainable tourism model is needed. This includes promoting eco-friendly practices like reducing waste, conserving water, and involving local communities in tourism decisions.
2. Infrastructure should be built to withstand extreme weather, and tourism offerings should be diversified to avoid overcrowding during peak seasons.

Question for practice:

Examine how tourism and climate change are contributing to environmental degradation in Kashmir and suggest sustainable solutions to mitigate their impact.