Photos: Atop Triund, an insight into the Himalayan waste problem

Indians are getting adventurous. But as more of them take to trekking, the trash they invariably leave behind on the mountains spells disaster for the environment. There is a near-complete oversight of what trekkers do with trash, especially the non-biodegradable kind and the implementation of “no-trace” policies among states as well as adventure sports bodies is weak. The Triund in Himachal Pradesh, one of the most popular trekking trails in India, is one such example of the challenges in maintaining the fragile balance between Himalayan ecology and rising tourism.

Updated on: Aug 22, 2018 9:32 AM IST

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The Triund in Himachal Pradesh is one of the most popular trekking trails in India, drawing on average, locals say, 3,000 people, many of whom stay back overnight in tents pitched on the near-flat piece of land (campsite), which also offers a breathtaking view of the Kangra valley. However, on weekends, the campsite resembles a trashed out party zone. (Burhaan Kinu / HT Photo)

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Undeterred by the arduous climb, trekkers often lug loudspeakers, alcohol bottles and soft drugs to the campsite. “Drinking is banned here, yet we find hundreds of empty bottles all over the place. No one wants to clean the post-party mess,” said Shubham Chikara, a member of Waste Warriors, a Dharamshala-based NGO that performs regular cleanups here. (Burhaan Kinu / HT Photo)

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The trek is popular for its clearly marked route, forested hills and once trekkers reach the top, fresh air and clear, star-studded skies in summer months. But members of Waste Warriors say many irresponsible trekkers here fail to recognize the importance of disposing human waste in an eco-friendly manner around the campsite and surrounding areas. (Burhaan Kinu / HT Photo)

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Waste Warriors armed with tongs and sacks during a cleanup drive on the Triund mountains. The challenges that the Triund trail and campsite face are not an exception; popular trails in other states too grapple with similar waste issues. (Burhaan Kinu / HT Photo)

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Just a handful of the growing litter left behind by trekkers around the Triund campsite. On World Environment Day (June 5), volunteers of 200 organisations picked four lakh pieces of plastic waste in a two-hour operation from the Himalayan states of Sikkim, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram, Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur and Assam. (Burhaan Kinu / HT Photo)

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There is no study or agency that gives the exact number of people exploring the mountains, but, according to the Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI), the growth in the domestic business has been around 30% and the incoming international growth, 10%. (Burhaan Kinu / HT Photo)

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There are several reasons for this boom: A substantial part of the Himalayas is in India and so there is a wide variety of trekking trails available for people to explore, rising disposable income, a young population, availability of good quality gear, and a rising awareness about trekking through social media. (Burhaan Kinu / HT Photo)

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Sacks of trash seen piled near the Triund campsite. Though state forests departments keep a tab on trekkers entering restricted areas, many slip by without their knowledge. And there is then a near-complete oversight of what they do with trash, especially the non-biodegradable kind. The implementation of “no-trace” policies of states as well as adventure sports bodies is weak. (Burhaan Kinu / HT Photo)

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States, trekking companies and the trekking community are waking up to the challenge. In Triund, the Himachal Pradesh forest department conducted a raid in June and recovered alcohol and drugs. It now charges trekkers Rs 50 for going to Triund and keeps a tab on the number of plastic bottles they are carrying with them and how many they deposit at the forest checkpost while exiting. (Burhaan Kinu / HT Photo)

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In May 2018, following a National Green Tribunal order, the forest department stopped camping and eating on the Kheerganga trail, near Manali. Uttarakhand has enforced a plastic ban in the Valley of Flowers with violation inviting a penalty of Rs 10,000. Trekking companies such as Indiahikes have their own Green Trails programme, which ensures that trekkers do their bit to keep the mountains clean. (Burhaan Kinu / HT Photo)

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Conservation experts, industry operators and experts working with Himalayan communities see the issue as natural result of tourism’s pressure on fragile environments and lax implementation of green laws. Consensus stands at understanding ecological limits, recognizing trade-off between tourism and its environmental impact and managing activities accordingly. (Burhaan Kinu / HT Photo)