Bhutan is not heavily industrialized, which is why, the forests, rivers and hills around the country have remained in tact. This pristine nature attracts hundreds of tourists from different countries of the world. They come to Bhutan to escape from their busy city lives. Bhutan does not allow too many tourists. Still, the tourism industry has flourished in recent times and it has started to create a new problem. Large amount of litters around various tourist camp sites are affecting the surrounding environment in Bhutan.
Kuensel Online reports:
Every year, large number of trekkers comes to Bhutan. The garbage around their campsites are not removed properly which is destroying the environment. In some places, the streams become dirty due to the unresolved garbage.
With the rise in the number of trekkers every year, garbage consisting of pet bottles, candy wrappers and biscuit covers are also becoming ubiquitous around the campsites. Thangthankha, a big and open campsite, doesn’t seem to have garbage strewn around, but a closer look reveals the hidden truth. They are stuffed under boulders, inside caves and in the dense forest along the right bank of the Pa chhu.
The officiating joint director of services division, tourism council of Bhutan (TCB), Rinzin Jamtsho, blamed irresponsible trekker cooks. There is a standing regulation that all camping crews must return with their trash.
Officials of the Tourism Council of Bhutan (TCB) said that during the trekking season, they send inspectors at every exit point to check trekker’s trash. Upon breaking the rules the trekker would be fined Nu 5,000 for the first time and Nu 10,000 for the second time. On the third time, his/her licenses are revoked. In addition, the TCB organizes cleaning campaign alternately on the Paro and Gasa trekking trails. Last year, 15 gunny bags of garbage were collected from the cleaning campaign.
Well, I think, Bhutan is not the only country facing this problem. Its neighboring country, Nepal, which also sees large number of trekkers face such garbage problems every year. Solution of this problem would require co-operation from both parties. The tourists have to be careful about their garbage. Instead of throwing around, they should put them in large plastic bags or boxes and dump them on a particular site. On the other hand, the tourism organizations should build up necessary infrastructure to remove the garbage and dump them in a safer place.
Related article:
Kuensel Online
This kingdom, in the midst of the Eastern Himalayas is in many ways the world’s most exclusive travel destination. BHUTAN, known to the world ,as the Last Shangri-La is tiny kingdom about the size of Switzerland, perched high up on the snow-capped mountains of the Himalayan range. Its 700,000 people with colorful culture, tradition, unique architecture. Peace and tranquility live in this unpolluted habitat. This makes the kingdom a unique Travel destination.
BHUTAN, is also the Last bastion of Mahayana Buddhism. It is not merely the religion but the way the people live their daily lives. Its rich and diverse flora and fauna earned the world’s recognition as one of the Top 10 Global Hot Spots. Bhutan opened to the outside world only in the 1960s. Planned development was initiated with Gross National Happiness as its development vision. Television and Internet found their way to the country only in 1999.
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Posted by: Bhutan travel | July 4, 2008 9:11 PM | Permalink to Comment