Tourists visiting Himalayan states dump garbage: Govt

Many tourists visiting Himalayan states like Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh dump solid waste and other garbage, creating problems for the local environment, Lok Sabha was informed today.
Environment Minister Anil Madhav Dave said waste management in the Himalayan region has become a major issue and needs concerted efforts to control it.
"People go there and dump garbage, make the environment polluted. The government is seriously thinking of doing something beyond politics. We want the Himalayan region -- from Jammu and Kashmir to the Northeast-- clean," he said during Question Hour.
Dave's comments came after BJP member Anurag Thakur said tourists visiting Himachal Pradesh often dump plastic and other solid waste there, posing serious threat to environment.

The Minister said the Centre has been notifying the Eco-Sensitive Areas (ESA) from time to time to provide special protection to landscape, biodiversity, wildlife, historical value, regulate the development activities and ensure sustainable development.
So far, the Ministry of Environment has notified eight ESAs in the country. Besides, a draft notification to declare ESA for Western Ghats has recently been published inviting public comments, Dave said.