The Jalpaiguri district administration rolled out ‘Porishkar Paryatan’, a district-wide clean tourism initiative, on Tuesday. Simultaneous inaugurations were held at key tourist locations across the region, marking a renewed push to balance tourism growth with environmental responsibility.
The district-level launch was held at Laliguras, a popular picnic spot near the forest in the Matiali block, where district magistrate Shama Parveen formally inaugurated the programme.
Addressing the gathering, she said that Jalpaiguri’s rich natural resources demanded collective responsibility, particularly during the peak tourist season.
“Tourism thrives only when nature is respected. ‘Porishkar Paryatan’ is not about cosmetic cleanliness for a few days… it is about building a long-term culture where tourists, local communities and authorities work together to protect our forests, rivers and picnic spots,” said Parveen.
She added that the administration aimed to ensure tourism did not lead to plastic pollution, unmanaged waste or environmental stress.
Under the initiative, major tourist destinations have been mapped block-wise and panchayat-wise, covering forest areas, picnic zones, riverbanks, resorts and homestay clusters.
Raunak Agarwal, the additional district magistrate of the Zilla Parishad, said the structured mapping would enable focused supervision, daily cleaning operations and quicker responses during periods of heavy tourist influx.
“The programme places strong emphasis on stakeholder participation. Block officials, gram panchayat representatives, police and forest departments, community-based organisations, picnic committees, resort and homestay owners and vendors have all been brought under a common framework to ensure shared accountability,” he said.
The official informed that eco-marts were also launched at the event. Run by self-help groups (SHGs), these marts will sell products such as sal and areca nut leaf plates and bowls and biodegradable bags. Items from eco-marts and SHGs are being promoted to reduce plastic dependence while supporting local livelihoods.
He also announced that fines would be imposed for the use of single-use plastic and for dumping waste in rivers.
According to official sources, information, education and communication (IEC) activities have already begun at entry points, parking areas and commercial zones. Signage urging tourists to avoid littering and using single-use plastic has been set up.
“The community development volunteers, working in coordination with the police, have been empowered to impose fines on individuals and establishments found littering or supplying plastic,” said a source.
The daily cleaning operations have been intensified through Vector Resource Persons (VRPs) and Vector Borne Disease Control (VBDC) teams. Dustbins and cement pits have been installed to enable waste segregation at source.
Marginalised groups, including rag pickers, have been formally integrated into the system. Plastic waste is procured at ₹20
per kilo through plastic waste management units, providing livelihood support alongside environmental
benefits.
“We have also introduced smart solid waste management, including QR-coded bins, real-time e-kart tracking and detailed waste collection data to improve efficiency during peak seasons,” said Agarwal.
Parveen also announced that to sustain the momentum, the district will introduce seasonal awards for the cleanest tourist spot, the best-performing block and panchayat, the highest plastic collection and the best-managed destinations.
“‘Porishkar Paryatan’ marks a shift from short-term drives to sustained, community-led clean tourism. It reinforces the message that Jalpaiguri’s landscapes must remain pristine, not just for visitors, but for generations to come,” she said.