Plastic garbage turns off for tourists in Himachal Pradesh
By ANIThursday, January 28, 2010
KUFRI - The plastic garbage scattered in the Kufri region of Himachal Pradesh has been disappointing the tourists visiting the region.
Although Himachal Pradesh became the first state in India to impose a ban on the use of plastic bags on June 5, 2004, many shopkeepers across the state continue to use plastic bags in gross violation of the law.
The plastic waste scattered in and around the Mahasu Peak, one of the main attractions of the Kufri region.
Located at an altitude of 10,000-feet above sea level, the Mahasu Peak is the highest in Kufri, and experiences heavy snowfall between the months of December and February.
“My impression before coming to this place was that it is a very beautiful place and we were expecting a lot of snowfall here, but when we came here, the impression was too bad. There is no proper disposable garbage. There is garbage all around. The municipal committee of this place should install more and more hoardings, and should make people aware that this place is of natural beauty, and we should not only enjoy ourselves but we have to sustain this for our future generations,” said Ashish Gupta, a tourist from Delhi.he state’s tourism department admits the problem of pollution and worsening conditions of the hill destination.
Director of the Tourism Department, Arun Sharma, said that meetings with locals and departments of the state government are being organized to resolve this issue.
” The Tourism Department is ready to help them in this regard. I have already spoken to the Environment Department and District Administration, and we are going to discuss this issue with the Panchayat representatives in detail, to take necessary steps for curbing this problem. If then also we don’t come across any solution, then simultaneously we will invoke penal provisions,” said Sharma. (ANI)