Ladakh is an ecological hotspot in many ways. Anybody who has been there will agree that it is a place that is at peace with itself. Having been cut off from ‘civilization’ for a long time, this spectacular land has become accessible to mainstream tourism only in the last few years. Inevitably, this overwhelming inflow of people is putting a huge strain on local resources. Planes, buses, jeeps and motorbikes bringing people in, are causing a lot of pollution. Food supplies have to be imported from outside as Ladakh, a self-sufficient local economy until now, only produces enough for its local population. This adds to vehicular traffic and therefore pollution in the mountains. Water is also at a premium as Ladakh depends on glacial meltwater for its needs. This precious supply is also being polluted because of an increasing number of guesthouses catering to the tourists’ ever increasing demands.

While exploring cultures other than our own can help both visitors and the locals in many ways, tourism needs to happen far more responsibly. There can be a balance between economy and ecology. One needn’t suffer at the expense of the other.

We will be interacting with local people and organizations in an attempt to better understand how the objective of balancing economy and ecology can be achieved. We will be based in the town of Leh through the trip and will head out to places like Pangong Lake or Tso Moriri Lake and the Nubra Valley (if the roads are open) for day long visits. People with skills to share will be welcome.

Dates: July 2009

Contact Vinod Sreedhar at vinodsreedhar@gmail.com for more details.

<< Kashmir
 
     
 
Website designed by Girish Menon | Other credits