McLeodganj , also known as “Little Lhasa”, is a suburb of Dharamshala in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. A spiritual abode of monks turned into a hub for travelers, McLeodganj has undergone tremendous transformation over the past few decades. However, it is not all rosy. There is always a price to pay for excessive urbanization and growth, especially in a hilly area which had never anticipated this level of pressure on its lands.
From being a town that was a hideaway for monks to becoming Himachal’s most popular tourist destination generating 6 tonnes of garbage every month, McLeodganj has become a victim of the fast-growing tourism sector of this country.
The primary issues that plague McLeodganj are bad roads and lack of adequate parking facilities , resulting in long traffic jams, and a disruption of the ecology of the town due to unregulated construction. There is an immense space crunch in McLeodganj. Hills have been cut down by 30 to 40 meters deep for raising six to seven-storey buildings, shops, and eating joints.
The amount of waste generated at restaurants is being mindlessly emptied into dumps and not in a sanitary manner. In spite of funds allocated to the municipal corporation of Dharamshala, there are no garbage pick-up trucks provided by the government.
The monsoons of 2021 and 2022 resulted in hazardous flash floods, landslides and cracks in roads, threatening the very people of the city. The videos of Baghu Nag flash floods of 2021 went viral throwing light on how the unending construction has made the city, a highly seismic zone, prone to an ecological disaster.
A Rs 200-crore ropeway project has been developed between McLeodganj and Dharamsala to reduce the traveling time to just 5 minutes, but owing to the high ticket prices, only a handful of travelers resort to it. A decline in the footfall of tourists, both international and national, is affecting the livelihood of the town which is heavily dependent on tourism for their livelihood. Hoteliers and businesses are disappointed with the extent of support they received from the government post the pandemic.
What can be done to prevent this?
Tourists should restrain from littering. They should choose carrying refillable bottles with them instead of purchasing plastic bottles. Public transport is widely available in Himachal and by choosing to travel by them, a large chunk of traffic can be eliminated. Supporting local businesses by staying at their property or eating from their small food joints instead of choosing some privateHeadline: McLeodganj: A boon in disguise of a bane
Body text: McLeodganj , also known as “Little Lhasa”, is a suburb of Dharamshala in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. A spiritual abode of monks turned into a hub for travelers, McLeodganj has undergone tremendous transformation over the past few decades. However, it is not all rosy. There is always a price to pay for excessive urbanization and growth, especially in a hilly area which had never anticipated this level of pressure on its lands.
From being a town that was a hideaway for monks to becoming Himachal’s most popular tourist destination generating 6 tonnes of garbage every month, McLeodganj has become a victim of the fast-growing tourism sector of this country.
The primary issues that plague McLeodganj are bad roads and lack of adequate parking facilities , resulting in long traffic jams, and a disruption of the ecology of the town due to unregulated construction. There is an immense space crunch in McLeodganj. Hills have been cut down by 30 to 40 meters deep for raising six to seven-storey buildings, shops, and eating joints. The amount of waste generated at restaurants is being mindlessly emptied into dumps and not in a sanitary manner. In spite of funds allocated to the municipal corporation of Dharamshala, there are no garbage pick-up trucks provided by the government.
The monsoons of 2021 and 2022 resulted in hazardous flash floods, landslides and cracks in roads, threatening the very people of the city. The videos of Baghu Nag flash floods of 2021 went viral throwing light on how the unending construction has made the city, a highly seismic zone, prone to an ecological disaster.
A Rs 200-crore ropeway project has been developed between McLeodganj and Dharamsala to reduce the traveling time to just 5 minutes, but owing to the high ticket prices, only a handful of travelers resort to it. A decline in the footfall of tourists, both international and national, is affecting the livelihood of the town which is heavily dependent on tourism for their livelihood. Hoteliers and businesses are disappointed with the extent of support they received from the government post the pandemic.
What can be done to prevent this?
Tourists should restrain from littering. They should choose carrying refillable bottles with them instead of purchasing plastic bottles. Public transport is widely available in Himachal and by choosing to travel by them, a large chunk of traffic can be eliminated. Supporting local businesses by staying at their property or eating from their small food joints instead of choosing some private agencies, the local economy and lifestyle would also be boosted agencies, the local economy and lifestyle would also be boosted
