“Waste generation,” “Plastic waste,” “Degrading environment,” and the list goes on. All of us are familiar with these terms, but how many of us are concerned? The rising menace of waste engulfs the world, and tourism-centered areas are the biggest prey. Boracay Island in the Philippines was closed in 2018 for six months due to the mess created by the unregulated inflow of tourists. Single-use plastic was banned on the island, and any hotel, resort, or restaurant caught breaching this policy thrice was to lose its license. Again in 2018, Thailand closed Maya Bay to recover from pollution and other damage caused by tourists. In 2017, Indonesia declared a “garbage emergency” in parts of Bali. On the other hand, Ladakh is a small and fragile ecosystem where the economy depends heavily on tourism. Tourism, in turn, depends on this natural environment. The degradation of the natural environment will decrease tourism revenue as well. The World Economic Forum in its Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report, 2017, stated, “Given the close relationship between natural resources and a substantial segment of the tourism industry, a lack of progress on fostering sustainability, both from a general and sectoral point of view, will reduce tourism development opportunities.”
The picturesque landscape, the mystic mountains, the artistic touch, and the hospitality of locals are some of the driving forces for tourism in Ladakh. This previously untouched place has a range of endangered wildlife. Living in the 21st century and encountering migratory birds at the brink of extinction is a sore sight for anyone. Ladakh, no doubt, is beautiful in everything that defines it. However, with the flourishing tourism and rising modernization, Ladakh has also witnessed a dramatic increase in the generation of waste. The scene at Bombgaurd is one example of what seems to be turning into the dark side of Ladakh. One look at it makes us realize the damage we are causing to this fragile environment. Such scenes give us a reality check on what we are losing with time. This place has become a breeding ground for stray dogs, resulting in a big population increase that, in turn, is causing a very absurd dog-human conflict. Another alarming issue is the increased amount of plastic waste that has been found in hills of trash. Disposing of plastic water bottles is a problem that the whole world is trying to tackle, and Ladakh, being a fragile ecosystem, faces a higher threat of consequences that can spring from this gigantic plastic issue. Sustainable tourism and responsible citizenship are what we need at this hour.
The problem is primarily slow recycling rates and the continuous increase in waste, especially single-use plastic products, that exacerbate the situation. Currently, there are two waste treatment plants. One is the Solid Waste Management plant, which is the Municipal Committee Leh’s treatment plant, and the other is Project Tsangda, which functions under the Rural Development Department of Ladakh. Tsangda or ‘Stangda’ means cleanliness in the local Bhoti language. The project began with establishing the region’s first-ever waste segregation center in Choglamsar town, where garbage from households and shops is collected and converted into resources rather than dumped into giant landfills. According to the Municipal Committee report, the waste collected in the summer season, the peak tourist season, is much higher than in winter. Municipal Committee Leh has deployed dumper trucks in each ward under Municipal Leh’s jurisdiction with two workers. According to their data, they collect around 18-20 tons of waste per day during the summer season and 8-9 tons per day in the winter season. The waste is then sent to the plant, where it is treated at a capacity of 30 tons per day. This data shows that in the tourist season, the amount of waste generated at least doubles, if not more.
If the tourism industry is on such a surge in Ladakh, then conscious efforts to reduce waste from this sector can significantly impact the overall waste scenario. One such example is that of Dolkhar, which is striving to be a zero-waste, eco-friendly resort. The Dolkhar resort is trying to reduce the generation of waste in many ways. For instance, the laundry bags used at Dolkhar are from PAGIR, an organization that handcrafts from waste. Dolkhar aims at minimizing plastic consumption, and interestingly, Dolkhar is pursuing a way to make a zero-waste restaurant. During a small conversation with Mr. Dhruv Nijhawan, a zero-waste and sustainability-driven chef patron at Dolkhar, we learned about many exciting changes that can reduce waste generation in a kitchen. Dhruv explained that instead of peeling tomatoes and throwing out the seeds, if they are simply boiled for pasta sauce, the whole fruit can be used. Even the water used for boiling is set aside for later use. The main motive is to conserve food as much and for as long as possible, and if not, then at least use it to make compost. Furthermore, even the used coffee beans will be reused in the kitchen smoker for some of the food items. Tinned vegetables used during the winters will later function as a baking tray for bread. Dhruv also spoke about going paperless; there won’t be any menu books or waiters taking orders on paper. Everything will go paperless. For instance, for the menu, either a tablet will be provided, or the menu could be opened directly by scanning the QR code, and all orders will then be displayed in the kitchen digitally. All the cutlery used would either be ceramic or wooden. Also, the ceramic cutlery at Dolkhar is sourced from local artisans of the Khurja area near Delhi, and local Ladakhi artisans have made the wooden items. Dolkhar is also trying to keep its carbon emissions under control by not sourcing vegetables and herbs from outside. Dolkhar is striving to either grow its own herbs and vegetables, source locally, or buy (if need be) from farmers in Himachal.
Recycling can make an enormous impact on waste reduction. It achieves numerous goals: reduces raw material consumption, actively disposes of waste, adds value to waste, enhances environmental indicators, optimizes ecological pollution, and saves resources and money. PAGIR is a non-profit organization that was founded in hopes of creating a just, equitable society that is inclusive and free of prejudices. Most of the members of PAGIR are differently-abled or have family members who are differently-abled. PAGIR collects and reutilizes waste through repurposing paper, cloth, and plastic, thus reducing overall pollution and providing differently-abled individuals with independence and financial stability. Their product range includes pouches, bags, handmade diaries, home decor items, and many other things. This initiative by PAGIR is a great way to both reduce the waste generated and create a livelihood.
You do not need to be a resident of Ladakh to feel the need for change in this context. A testament to that thought is Preeti Chauhan, a social development entrepreneur, environmentalist, and zero-waste practitioner. Having been in Ladakh and surveying the space, she gathered some interesting insights. She founded Little Green World in Leh, a platform that creates awareness and provides sustainable alternatives to conventional ways of life. During her surveys for Little Green World, Preeti learned about many types of waste generated and the core reason behind the generation of this waste. She observed that plastic water bottles were the biggest contributors, followed by packaged food items like Maggi, spices, tetra packs, and much more. The most alarming issue, however, that Preeti came across was the scale at which the sewage was contaminating groundwater. Other than a few hotels in Leh, most hotels and guest houses have a soak pit made of mud bricks instead of a septic tank made of concrete. The soak pits are the reason behind the contamination of groundwater. Most of the hotels and households are dependent on bore-wells, and the sewage water is said to contaminate bore-wells the most, thus becoming the reason for many waterborne pathogens like E.coli. Preeti believes that this is why most tourists buy packaged drinking water, and hotels provide packaged drinking water, citing the reason that the water is “heavy to digest.” On asking about the people majorly responsible for waste generation, Preeti says that tourists and locals are equally accountable. She says, “Tourists are majorly responsible; however, locals are also responsible as they are changing their lifestyles, and the locals who are working in the tourism sector have the power not to let the tourists litter.” Little Green World (LGW) is working in collaboration with Zero Waste Himalaya, Integrated Mountain Initiative, and WWF India. It took the lead during The Himalayan Clean-up 2021 for the Ladakh region, which included waste collection, segregation, and an audit to understand different types of waste generated. LGW also conducted training on “zero waste and circular economy” among tourist establishments in Ladakh. Currently, Preeti Chauhan and Tsewang Chostar are working on a water filter to make water in Ladakh conducive for consumption. They plan to put it at various tourist spots and hotels to lower the number of plastic water bottles—a small step according to them but a step with a large possible impact.
The waste crisis is obviously a threat to the planet. Every one of us has to do our bit toward this collective goal of conscious living in order to ensure continued human existence.
