Tourist footfall drops by 60 pc in Lahaul-Spiti

SHIMLA: Hoteliers in the snow-bound Lahaul-Spiti have witnessed a drastic 60 per cent in tourists, both domestic and foreign, due to ban on tourist activities in the Marhi-Rohtang tourist circuit and permit-Raj imposed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) for people of Lahaul.

Kuldeep Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, August 2

Hoteliers in the snow-bound Lahaul-Spiti have witnessed a drastic 60 per cent drop in tourists, both domestic and foreign, due to ban on tourist activities in the Marhi-Rohtang tourist circuit and permit-Raj imposed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) for people of Lahaul.

The state government has come out with a proposal to set up Palchan-Marhi-Rohtang ropeway, making the profit-making private company to eat away the sources of livelihoods of people, resented Chering Dorje and Deepak Mahant, local residents.

“Nothing has come out from the promise that the state has promised to file a review petition before the NGT to resume tourist activities here,” they rued.

“People of Lahaul-Spiti, Leh and Ladakh who come via Manali have to seek entry permits to cross the 13,050-feet-high Rohtang Pass from the SDM office, Manali,” rued Tashi Haryapa, president of the Hoteliers Association of Lahaul-Spiti.

“We are finding it difficult to meet the expenses at the peak summer tourist season as there is a drop of about 60 per cent in tourist arrivals in the tribal belt as compared to last year,” he revealed.

The ordeal for tourists and locals is worse. They have to brave three traffic barriers at Vashisht, Kothi, Gulaba and Marhi before they are allowed to cross the Rohtang Pass, the only century-old land route to the Lahaul valley.

These barriers have been raised by the Kullu district administration. The NGT has banned tourist activities in Marhi-Rohtang Range in the name of protecting non-existent glacier at the Rohtang Pass and reducing carbon footprints, which have been disputed by glaciologists.

The motor bikes safaris, trekking expeditions and pilgrims from rest of the Buddhist sites from across the country are at the receiving end.

The anger among people and villagers of Nau Gaon is increasing as the ban on tourist activities in Rohtang Pass and permit-Raj for people of Lahaul is creating a feeling of alienation among them, warned hoteliers and public representatives of the region.