The Himalayas are the pride of India. For centuries, they’ve stood tall and mighty, and protected us from external dangers. And yet, somewhere, we have failed these majestic mountains in giving them due care and respect. Travel to any hill station today – Darjeeling, Shimla, Nainital, Mussoorie – what you see is not green.
But a cluttering of plastic and polythene bags in a mad mix of colors and sizes. Where the green? It’s all covered now.Move east to Arunachal Pradesh and things are somewhat better. The valleys around Tawang and Bomdilla still offer an uncluttered view of nature’s greenery. It’s a sobering thought that this is so only because tourists require special permits to visit this part of the country. Had it been more accessible, its state would have been the same? The same Indians, who maintain a strict control over their littering habits when travelling abroad, just seem to let go when it comes to their own country. How unfortunate!
Having grown up amongst the hills of Darjeeling, long walks and treks were a way of life for us. Today, you cannot trek half a mile without feeling disgusted with the plastic choking these hills. From empty chips packets to chocolate wrappers and more, these are creating a mountain of plastic on which the Himalayas weep. This plastic clogs drains, prevents rainwater from entering the soil, chokes cattle, and to say the least, dirties the mountains. Plus, on a windy day, a flying packet can actually obstruct one’s vision while driving, and cause an accident. When you go to see a place of beauty, isn’t it your responsibility to ensure that it keeps looking beautiful?
Why trash it?And it’s not so tough to not litter. While travelling, keep a packet to stack all the waste material, and when you reach your hotel, put it into a bin. It doesn’t take so much effort, but it can make a difference to the cause of preserving the natural beauty of the hills. And never think what will one packet do? It’s so many ‘one’ packets that have resulted in this situation. Now it’s the turn of each and every ‘one’ travelling to the hills to make sure they stay as beautiful and pristine as nature meant them to be. You travel to the hills to experience the wonders of Mother Nature. Keep her lap clean, so that future generations can experience the same majesty, the same fresh green beauty.