Aamir Sharief
This year while the tourism industry in Kashmir witnesses a tremendous loss of revenue due to Corona Pandemic there is a huge increase in high altitude trekking.
The lockdown provided every opportunity to Kashmiri youth to visit a number of Lakes and Margs, but it is very unfortunate to say that Kashmiri trekkers don’t take care of the environment.
Mountains and Lakes are a great gift from nature to us. These natural assets were handed over to us safely by our forefathers in good condition. This is the best gift ever from them to us. But are we really serious to make judicious use of these resources and to conserve them for the future generation?
On one side deforestation is at peak and on other side plastics and polythene found their way in upper reaches of the valley. The forests of Kashmir have now become dumping sites for garbage.
Kashmiri people, in general, lack a civic sense. We can’t differentiate between ethical and erroneous things. Where ever we go we keep polluting things and places. We mess up with things in such a way that it can’t be used by someone else again in future.
So is the condition of our environment.Recently I make a trip to Kounsarnag lake but to my surprise, I found a thick layer of garbage throughout this trek.
Who Cares?
It seems no one cares to keep the environment clean. We can debate on pollution for hours and defeat the opponent by giving strong reasons and arguments but when it comes to our own we don’t care. We are good at defining any situation in a better way but when it is time to prove we fail.
First time I visited Kounsarnag lake in 2008 and now again when I made another visit in recent past I found a great difference. Then it was not so popular among the local population. This time people visit in hundreds on a daily basis. And they contribute equally in accumulation of garbage.
The amount of garbage will increase in coming years and the day will come when we see the ‘plastic mountains’ all around between Ahrabal and Kounsarnag. Instead of fresh and pure water, this alpine lake will drain poisonous water.
While sitting on the bank of Kounsarnag lake I found some polythene bags floating freely from this end to that end. Catching a glimpse of all this I got infuriated and started cursing all trekkers in general. It needs immediate action and proper attention from all of us so that we can save this lake from becoming a ‘Dust Bin Lake’.
Actions Needed
At this point, it is necessary to alert government missionaries to take necessary action regarding this. Either government should make strict laws to limit its use in forests and lakes or make any suitable arrangement that may deem fit in the present situation.
From Kindergarten to University level we find at every level the students are taught about different kinds of pollution so that they can take good care of the environment. In every book, you can find detailed chapters about environment issues but of no use.
In this way, I can say reading books on environment can’t help us to save our assets. We must act properly and start focusing to develop a habit of dumping our own garbage both inside and outside the home. There is a little issue if we through garbage on roads in cities and towns.
Next day early morning the municipal department will clear all your shit. But in the case of forests and mountains, it is different. They don’t fall in any municipal area and when you through something in wild no one is going to clean it. This will remain there for centuries.
Every year I spent a good number of days in forests. While staying for a night at someplace I clean up the whole area the next morning and move on. I don’t leave a single piece of scrap (chewing gum cover/ candy cover) there which has the potential to pollute the environment.
By throwing garbage while moving along the trail we think we get rid of some weight but that is not the question. Whatever we eat say for example Chocolate. By eating this we may lose some weight but do you feel that the cover of chocolate possesses weight in tons. Same is the case with everything wrapped in polythene and plastic bags.
I assure if everybody carries his/ her own garbage the weight will not exceed more than 500 grams I.e. half a Kg. There is another way out if you hesitate in carrying non- biodegradable waste all throughout your trek that continues for a few days.
You can burn it while reaching on your destination or at a place where you are going to pitch your tent. Though this thing will also contribute to polluting our environment it is far better than the practice of throwing garbage in a haphazard manner on the trail.
This is the story of one particular lake I.e. Kounsarnag lake. Now I want to listen from you the story of other lakes in Kashmir. There are hundreds of such alpine lakes in Kashmir that need our attention. It is very easy to blame the government every time. what are we doing in our own capacity to save nature? we must look at ourselves and pose such questions and find suitable answers so that we can save our environment from devastation.
Delhi based government in Kashmir is hardly worried about these things. More than a year has passed now after the abrogation of Article 370 and 35 A but the government still fail to make suitable political arrangements for good governance in Kashmir. Such is the condition of this war-torn zone called Kashmir. Now tell me if we still wait for government intervention in saving these lakes I think we are making a big mistake.
It is YOU and ME who will suffer the most. So I again appeal my Kashmiri brothers- “when you plan your trip to visit such lakes be specific in choosing things and limit the use of non- biodegradable things”.