THE HILLS ARE

Kodaikanal is struggling

Kodaikanal is just one of the numerous hill stations in the Western Ghats. Varying in height, accessibility and popularity, they share the same complex problems that are compounded by unregulated tourism: narrow winding roads up steep inclines, poor infrastructure, limited medical care and negligible parking space. Tourism is just one of the many issues that plague the hills.

At the height of the summer season, Kodaikanal can get up to eight lakh tourists each month, according to the town tourism office. While there are plans to widen roads and build large parking spaces in designated areas, the high footfall highlights other issues that come with excessive tourism: sewage, sanitation and acute water shortage.

This floating population also leaves behind a trail of garbage that an overstretched and inefficient waste management system struggles with. Where, for instance, does the garbage go? On an average day, 20 metric tonnes of unsegregated waste are taken to the town dump site ast week, a sixyearold elephant in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in the Nilgiris was found lying weak and exhausted in a private property, possibly due to the lack of green fodder and severe heat in the hills this year. Reminiscent of 2017, when a number of elephants died of thirst and starvation, 2024 too is set to be a challenging year for wildlife and conservation in the Western Ghats.

The hills of South India are expected to be a source of refuge for people trying to escape the heatwaves in the cities. Conservationists and experts working in the ecologically fragile Western Ghats have sounded the alarm over the expected surge in tourists to the mountains this year, stating that the increased pressures of tourism, combined with extreme weather, could have a widescale environmental impact on local ecosystems. For instance, storage levels in key drinking water sources in the Nilgiris, such as at Parsons Valley and Marlimund, are at 34% and 21% of their total capacities as of April 6.

Vasanth Bosco, a restoration ecologist and founder of Upstream Ecology, says that hotter summers in the hills lead

Lbordering a reserve forest, 15 km away, adding to the mountain of garbage waiting to be processed.

Sandeep Nanduri, director of tourism, Tamil Nadu, admitted in an interview with The Hindu, “This sudden growth presents a few challenges for the State.”

He stressed the environmental impact and the strain on infrastructure when tourist footfalls are not evenly distributed. Kodaikanal, situated in a wildlife sanctuary, has three large waterbodies, marshes and streams that feed into a valuable ecosystem which provides water to cities in the plains; every activity needs to be monitored.

Bring back the e-pass

Kamini Vignesh, an ecologist and cake artist says, “Between waste management, overcrowding, illegal construction and pollution of all forms, the pressure on Kodaikanal and the surrounding ecosystem is enormous. There is a PIL in Madurai court right now asking for relief for many of these issues. We, as a group, are following the proceedings closely and considering our options to get involved.”

Earlier this month, she joined a group of residents in a protest march to highlight the traffic situation, demanding solutions before the summer season. As temperatures soar in the plains, hordes of tourists will continue to come up to the hills to get some reprieve. Where will everyone go? Will there be space, water, medical care and toilet facilities for the lakhs of visitors who will pay a fee at the town’s toll gate for a brief holiday in a cooler climate?

Kamakshi Narayanan, a homeopath and longtime Kodaikanal resident, believes, “It is time to cap the entry of tourists, and restrict it to a sustainable number, by implementing the epass system. Of course, the carrying capacity must be assessed before that.”

Residents remember the ‘epass days’ of COVID19 fondly, a return to life as it was 30 years ago. “Clean, empty roads, the lake and streams devoid of the floating carpet of garbage at the edges, wildlife venturing into residential areas — not just the bison who have already made their home here.” Controlled tourism could also ensure a steady stream of tourists into the town, and regulate income for local businesses through the year.

‘Real’ development needed

Tourism offers undeniable benefits for improving mountain livelihoods, but relying on just this source of income leads to neglecting other potential opportunities. Unfortunately, development in these regions continues to be tourismcentric. Multifloor buildings and mass tourism ventures have no place in the mountains, nor do the spate of artificially created beautification projects such as toy trains, elaborate water sports facilities and amusement parks, which serve no purpose in an already beautiful environment except to sell tickets and gain revenue. Real development must explore other avenues that are less destructive and more compatible with mountain life. Hill communities need to be empowered to take responsibility for the preservation of natural resources, and to fulfil their role as stewards of the mountains.

On another foray into town recently, I pass a large municipal garbage bin spewing a mix of food waste, packaging material and empty bottles into a tiny stream still attempting a meagre flow. Nearby, young students of a local school have donned gloves, to pick up soggy chip packets and empty beer bottles that will be segregated later. In a forest nearby, a similar cleanup operation is underway, this one by a local citizens group called Solaikurivi who meet every week to clean up the shola forests.

While it is heartening to see citizen groups take up the responsibility and stewardship of their environment, it is an uphill task if not supported by the government. For now, the tourist carrying capacity assessment may be a step in the right direction, leading to a more pleasant experience for tourists and an easier life for residents of mountain towns. It must be followed up with swift and focused action.

An environmentalist and organic gardener, the author writes about food, design, travel and agriculture.