· Impact of tourists on flora and fauna matter for concern

· Tourism that will pay for environmental protection needs to be developed

· Ban on polythene, dumping of waste in water bodies suggested

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir State Pollution Control Board (JKSPCB) has called for the formulation of policies to tackle the effects of pollution resulting from the months-long Amarnath yatra.

In its 37-page report, the SPCB expressed concern over not regulating the yatra in such a manner that the environment would be protected. It said the situation in Pahalgam, the main base camp for the yatra, was particularly sensitive.

Indiscriminate tourism

"The environment in Pahalgam is degraded during the Amarnath yatra, as many yatris are made to stay there during the event," the report says. "The prime concerns of ecotourism are environmental, economical and social. Environmental concerns include the impact that a large number of tourists has on the flora and fauna of an area." Indiscriminate tourism, it says, "has ruined the habitat and harassed animals."

Economic concerns relate to the impact of tourism on the local economy. One important challenge is to develop tourism that will pay for environmental protection, the report says.

SPCB chairman I.A. Khan, in his foreword note, said the study would provide the basic inputs needed for religious tourism development on the Pahalgam-Amarnath stretch with proper ecological balance.

Factors responsible

The report, compiled and supervised by senior scientist Bilquees A. Siddiqui, has listed 16 factors responsible for pollution. These include the generation of tonnes of waste by pilgrims and the absence of waste disposal sites. The open dumping of garbage could lead to outbreak of diseases such as typhoid and cholera.

It says there is a high degree of air pollution; sewerage generated from hotels, yatri camps and local residential areas finally makes its way to the Lidder river.

Recommendations

The report contains 25 recommendations with stress on regulating the influx of pilgrims in accordance with the carrying capacity of the places. It says the number of yatris need to be restricted; the use of polythene in and around Pahalgam or en route the holy cave should be prohibited; the disposal of municipal solid waste in the forest areas and nearby water bodies should be avoided as per the Muncipal Solid Waste Management and Handling Rules 2000.

Yatra from June 11

PTI reports:

The annual pilgrimage to Amarnath will start from the Baltal and Pahalgham routes simultaneously on June 11 subject to clearance of tracks and weather conditions. Supply of hot water, 40 insulated pre-fabricated huts at Panjtarni and Sheshnag in addition to 329 toilets at Sheshnag and 167 at Panjtarni were some arrangements undertaken for pilgrims.

Jammu and Kashmir Governor S.K. Sinha on Friday announced the date of the yatra while addressing a meeting at Pahalgam.

He took stock of the arrangements for the yatra there and stressed the need for coordinated efforts between agencies and the Shrine Board for an incident-free yatra.

Terming the yatra a symbol of "Kashmir's composite culture," he said it would be incomplete without the active support of locals. He said tourist arrivals had gone up from 28,000 in 2002 to over six lakh last year.