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Kashmiris raise alarm over eco-damage, seek ban on ‘adventure’ activities in fragile landscapes

by News Desk
Representational Image

Shabir Ali

A short viral video showing groups of vehicles tearing across green meadows in central Kashmir has blown up into a wider backlash, not just against the people in the footage but against an industry of “overlanding” and off-road content that many locals say treats fragile landscapes as a playground. Social media has been full of angry takes, from journalists and local activists to ordinary residents calling the practice “ecological vandalism” and demanding immediate legal action.

The Kashmiriyat has consistently reported on the growing environmental stress across Kashmir’s fragile landscape and how unchecked human activity is affecting everyday life in the region.

A viral video showed social media ‘engagement farmers’ driving vehicles across fragile pastures near the Breinwar forests in Budgam The video, which circulated earlier this week, captured vehicles leaving tire marks and damaging the delicate ecosystem, sparking public outrage.

Deputy Commissioner Budgam, Bilal Mohiuddin Bhat, said an FIR has been registered and investigations are underway. “Strict legal action will be taken against anyone found engaging in illegal off-roading or damaging forest areas. The green pastures are ecologically sensitive and must be protected,” he added. Officials from the Forest Department are working with police to identify the vehicles involved and assess the damage in this protected forest belt.

One of the first to raise alarm was user @unheardtale, who wrote, “Those green patches, we all are concerned about. So, you want to see the signage first to prevent you from tearing up vegetation? Is that logical? Allah has blessed you with a brain, use that grey matter! In no way must environment be casualty of your adrenaline-driven impulses.”

“This isn’t adventure; it’s stupidity,” wrote one user, Stoner al-Filasteeni (@__stoner__2000), adding, “Kashmir is not a massive country or a sandbox for your off-road content. We’ve got limited land, fragile terrain and livelihoods tied to it. You want to turn it into your social media content farm and call it sports? It isn’t your playground.”

Another user, Arshan Amin (@_Arshan_amin), shared, “These meadows existed long before you, untouched by machines shaped only by time, wind and respectful footsteps. They’re not yours to conquer with tires or chase for thrill. If adventure calls, ride through dirt, gravel, mud and snow. They shelter countless sheep, insects, wildflowers.”

Journalist Saqib Mugloo (@Saqibmugloo) wrote, “Seeking an off-roading trial in an ecologically sensitive region reflects ignorance and insensitivity. Instead of using the platform to raise awareness about the climate catastrophe we are witnessing, you are contributing to it by calling for an unnecessary trial.”

Sehar Mukhtar (@seharrmukhtar) commented, “Yes, let’s open off-roading trails in Kashmir so that elites can dig their tires into eco-fragile meadows because respecting nature is too mainstream. Who needs ecosystems anyway, right?”

Engineer Ahmad Mir (@Joesph_Maine) said, “What is sad is dumbwits who don’t know when to stop. Glad FIR has been filed against you and I hope you are penalised heavily. Good for nothing wannabes.”

Another user, @thedeadleaf, posted, “Destroying the fragile land and giving it the name of sports for the youth just to earn and gain sympathy will no longer work for you. Better to refrain from creating content while playing with nature.”

Kabir (@kabir_writes) added, “There should be off-road trails in Kashmir for the elites to take their motor monsters deep into the eco-fragile zones and ruin the natural ecosystem to flaunt their elitism at the expense of these fragile ecosystems. What a shame.”

Journalist Qazi Shibli echoed the growing anger: “Off-roading in Kashmir isn’t adventure, it’s ecological vandalism. Why must Kashmiris bear floods and landslides for the fleeting thrill of a few privileged? Tourists arrive, film their reels, and leave — but this is our home, and its preservation is our shared responsibility.”

In another post, he elaborated, “Vehicular movement on fragile slopes compacts soil, disrupts root systems, and destabilizes terrain which reduces the soil’s capacity to absorb rainfall, increases runoff, and accelerates erosion, flash floods, and landslides.”

“Those who think ‘following the trail’ is harmless are mistaken. Every off-road run stops vegetation from regrowing. The vegetation holds water and stabilizes slopes. Without it, erosion, landslides, and floods follow. Delete those ‘trail’ tweets, they reek of ignorance,” Shibli warned.

“These mountains aren’t playgrounds for the rich or the aspirational class seeking fleeting thrill. Tourists come, go, but we live here, depend on this land and bear the cost of its degradation. Understanding this isn’t an insult; it’s our responsibility to protect our home,” he added.

“Kashmir is heaven unless we trample its green meadows & pastures. The human intervention with nature has increased to such a level that if we will not stop here then our coming generations will curse us for its destruction. Save our flora & fauna, save Kashmir,” wrote Tajamul Rashid (@tajamul_rashid)

As the outrage grew, the Environmental Policy Group (EPG), a local advocacy body, publicly demanded an immediate ban on illegal overlanding in forest and meadow areas, specifically naming Haijan, Branwar, Mechkhanian, and Ashrat — and asked authorities to step in before the damage is irreversible. The EPG says video evidence shows trails being gouged and meadows degraded, and it warned that if the practice continues “it will end in disaster.”

EPG Convenor Faiz Ahmad Bakshi said that despite being fully aware of the illegality of such activities, participants continue to engage in them “with impunity.” “This is an unlawful activity, and the participants brazenly justify it by citing examples from countries like Australia and South Africa. But our laws are our own — and such comparisons hold no ground,” he said.

Bakshi noted that the areas of Haijan, Branwar, and Mechkhanian are already suffering from the movement of heavy vehicles. “Our meadows, once pristine, are now facing devastation. If not stopped immediately, the damage will be beyond repair,” he cautioned.

EPG and several reports also point to the scale of the problem: hundreds of thousands of kanals of forest land have been encroached upon or misused for unregulated activities, including vehicular movement. The group recalled that in the 2000s, vehicles were allowed to drive up to Thajwas Glacier in Sonamarg until a High Court ban was imposed following similar concerns. “If required, we’ll seek similar judicial action again,” Bakshi warned.

Why this matters — the science in short

Motorized vehicles driving across fragile mountain ecosystems, alpine meadows, and protected forest areas have well-documented environmental impacts. Wheel ruts and repeated passes compact soil, crush native vegetation, and remove protective litter layers, reducing soil infiltration, increasing surface runoff, and accelerating erosion, landslides, and flash floods. Even limited use can create long-lasting scars on sensitive landscapes.

Globally, this incident reflects the growing challenge of sustainable tourism, eco-tourism regulation, and social media-driven travel content in vulnerable environments. The viral video from Budgam, Kashmir, shows influencers and off-road enthusiasts turning delicate pastures into playgrounds, a concern mirrored worldwide in areas like the Alps, Rocky Mountains, and Himalayan highlands.

Such unregulated activity threatens biodiversity, local livelihoods, and climate resilience, drawing attention from environmentalists and policymakers globally.

The online backlash is not only ecological but also social. Many locals condemn elite or influencer behavior, tourists who “arrive, film, and leave” — leaving permanent ecological damage, reduced grazing land for shepherds, and increased risk of floods and landslides downstream. Meanwhile, off-road adventure tourism operators argue that regulated access can generate economic benefits, highlighting the tension between sustainable development, environmental protection, and tourism revenue, a debate that resonates in sensitive regions worldwide.

What needs to be done

An immediate administrative clampdown on motorised access to clearly identified eco-sensitive meadows and forest patches, enforced at entry points and by regular patrols.

Public education and influencer accountability: platforms and adventure brands must be urged to remove or geo-block posts that promote illegal entries; local campaigns should reframe “adventure” as responsibility.

Rapid mapping of the most vulnerable sites (using local knowledge and satellite imagery) and legal notification of restricted zones while longer plans are drafted.

Clear penalties, fines, seizure of vehicles used in illegal runs, suspension of commercial permits , so “impunity” stops being an attractive option.

Designated, scientifically sited routes for any permitted motor activity (away from alpine meadows and critical slopes), combined with strong permit systems and operator licensing.

Community stewardship and alternative livelihoods support, shepherds, local guides and tourism workers must be part of the monitoring and benefit model, not sidelined.

Why delay is costly

 

Protecting mountain ecosystems is not merely an aesthetic concern; it’s a matter of survival. In high-altitude environments, vegetation and soil stability serve as the first defense against erosion, flash floods, and slope collapse. Once meadow hummocks are destroyed and gullies formed, natural recovery can take decades, while human settlements, roads, and agriculture downstream face increasing risk. Kashmir, along with other ecologically fragile regions such as the Himalayas, is increasingly bearing the brunt of unregulated human activity, from off-road tourism and infrastructure projects to unsustainable grazing and deforestation.

In August 2025, sudden floods and landslides struck the village of Chasoti in Indian Kashmir, leading to at least 60 deaths and leaving over 200 people missing. The disaster occurred as pilgrims gathered before embarking on the Machail Yatra, a popular pilgrimage to the Machail Mata shrine.

Severe flooding and landslides in October 2025 affected India’s Darjeeling region and neighboring Nepal, causing over 70 fatalities. The Ilam district in Nepal was particularly hard-hit, with extensive damage to infrastructure complicating relief efforts.

In June 2024, heavy rainfall in Sikkim triggered landslides and floods, killing at least six people and stranding around 2,000 tourists. Roads in the Mangan district were heavily damaged, cutting off connections to northern Sikkim.

In 2022, unregulated construction, unchecked tourism expansion, and human interference in Uttarkashi’s Bhagirathi Eco-Sensitive Zone led to severe floods in Dharali village near Gangotri. Experts attributed the devastation to years of systemic neglect and violations of protective regulations.

Globally, fragile highland zones are witnessing similar pressures. In Nepal, landslides in the mid-hills have surged due to unregulated tourism and road construction. In the Andes of Peru, repeated off-road vehicle activity and mining operations have degraded alpine meadows, threatening local water sources. The Alps in Europe have seen accelerated soil erosion and biodiversity loss due to adventure tourism and ski resort expansion. In California’s Sierra Nevada, unregulated off-highway vehicles have caused persistent soil compaction and flash floods.

These events show that human-induced environmental stress, tourism-driven ecological damage, and climate vulnerability have tangible consequences, including increased river sedimentation, deteriorating water quality, and heightened flood and landslide risk.

The Kashmir case serves as a critical reminder of the urgent need for sustainable tourism, responsible travel, eco-tourism regulation, and mountain ecosystem conservation, offering lessons for policymakers, global communities, and fragile mountain regions worldwide.