The tourism department of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) and the state forest department have decided to make entire stretch of the mountain trail from Maneybhanjan to Sandakphu a plastic-free zone from next week.
Dawa Gyalpo Sherpa, field director of the tourism department of the GTA, said a campaign was launched on June 5 on the occasion of World Environment Day by involving different stakeholders associated with the tourism industry.
Among them are members of the Maneybhanjan Highlander Guides & Porters Association, who are carrying out the campaign across the stretches.
“It has been decided that from June 15, the entire stretch along which tourists and trekkers move will be declared a plastic-free zone,” Sherpa said.
Maneybhanjan is situated at an elevation of over 6,300 feet above sea level and is the entry point of the motor and trek routes to Sandakphu, located at a height of over
11,000 feet.
The entire route moves through the Singalila National Park in the Darjeeling hills, which is considered a trekker’s paradise and a hotspot for nature lovers, for its rich presence of flora and fauna and breathtaking landscape.
In September last year, another initiative was taken by the guides who work in the region.
They had cleaned the area by collecting nearly 50 bags of plastic and wastes that were littered by visitors during the course of treks.
“Forests will be closed for visitors from June 15, and we have decided to continue our campaign in Maneybhanjan and the surrounding areas like Rimbik, Srikhola and Daragaon. Three months later, when the national park reopens for visitors, we will be vigilant along with the forest staff. Anybody found using plastic in these areas will be fined,” the field director of the tourism department of the hill administrative body said.
Animesh Bose, the programme coordinator of the Siliguri-based Himalayan Nature & Adventure Foundation, welcomed the initiative.
The veteran nature conservationist said that the entire stretch of Singalila was a tourist paradise for its rich biodiversity. “It has several attractions, including wild orchids and the red panda,” Bose said. “Considering the rich biodiversity and presence of many exotic species of flora and fauna in the mountain ridges of Singalila, it is a welcome initiative to make the stretches free from plastic.”