JAMMU

AND
KASHMIR
LEGISLATIVE
ASSEMBLY

EYMC’24 Background Guide

 LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE BOARD

Greetings Delegates,

We extend a warm welcome to all of you and congratulate you on

being a part of the JAMMU & KASHMIR LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY (JKLA)
at Erudite Young Minds Conclave, 2024.

This background guide serves as a nutshell and a gateway into the

committee. This guide is to provide you with an overview of how
the committee sessions will proceed and what all may be
discussed. The Executive Board eagerly anticipates hearing your
perspectives,supported by robust arguments and incorporating
novel dimensions into the agenda.

While this guide delineates certain expectations outlined by the

Executive Board for this committee, we implore you not to
perceive them as burdensome constraints. They are inherent to
the learning process.
With that being said, please do not hesitate to reach out to any
member of the Executive Board for further assistance or
clarifications.
Wishing you the best of luck!
WHAT IS ECOTOURISM?

Ecotourism is defined as “responsible travel to natural areas

that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of the
local people, and involves interpretation and education”.

PRINCIPLES OF ECOTOURISM:

Ecotourism is about uniting conservation, communities, and

sustainable travel. This means that those who implement,
participate in and market ecotourism activities should adopt the
following ecotourism principles:

1. Provide positive experiences for both visitors and hosts.

2. Provide direct financial benefits for conservation.
3. Generate financial benefits for both local people and
private industry.
4. Deliver memorable interpretative experiences to visitors
that help raise sensitivity to host countries’ political,
environmental, and social climates.
5. Design, construct and operate low-impact facilities.
6. Recognize the rights and spiritual beliefs of the Indigenous
People in your community and work in partnership with them
to create empowerment.
7. Minimize physical, social, behavioral, and psychological
impacts.
8. Build environmental and cultural awareness and respect.

WHY ECOTOURISM?

Ecotourism is important for a few reasons: it benefits the

environment, local communities, and even the tourists themselves.

1. Environmental Protection: Ecotourism aims to minimize its

impact on the environment. This can involve things like
using sustainable practices at lodges, respecting wildlife
habitats, and educating tourists on how to tread lightly.
 2. Community Development: Ecotourism often involves supporting
local communities. This can come through employing local
people as guides or park rangers, using local crafts and
products in lodges, and putting profits back into community
development projects.

3. Sustainable Travel: Ecotourism encourages a more sustainable

way of traveling. It discourages mass tourism and its
negative impacts, and instead promotes responsible travel
that benefits the environment and local people.

ON JAMMU-KASHMIR TOURISM:

Jammu and Kashmir is blessed with scenic beauty and has emerged
as one of the major tourist places. Tourism in Jammu and Kashmir
offers a wide array of places to see, the delightful backwaters,
hill stations make Jammu and Kashmir a beautiful tourist
destination. Historical movements, forts, religious shrines,
hotels and restaurants, hill resorts etc, add to the high rank of
the state all over the world.

In the view of history, J&K was the favorite haunt of rulers

including Mughals, Maharajas and even British who used to spend
their holidays in its breathtaking destinations. Visitors from
Europe were spellbound by Kashmir’s natural beauty.
Decades passed and gradually J&K made its place on the global
tourism map. Visitors were impressed by the natural beauty and
importantly hospitality of people of J&K.

Jammu- Jammu is renowned as the “City of Temples” since it is

home to several temples such as Ranbireshwar temple, Raghunath
temple, Mahamaya temple, and others. The most important temple in
Jammu is Vaishno Devi temple in Katra, where at least more than
ten crore pilgrims visit every year; The extensive tracks of the
Jammu area also include hills rich in spots of wonderful
attractions, such as Akhnoor fort, Bagh-e-bahu, Mubarak Mandi
Mahal, Sh.Hari Niwas Palace,and Tagar in Basohli, which are
located in the region. Patnitop meadows are located in the center
of the hills and are breathtaking. Patnitop is a magnificent
location, and during the winter, this resort is completely
covered with snow, providing opportunity for a variety of snow
activities as well as paragliding. Mansar Lake is yet another
stunning destination.The meadow has since been transformed into a
golf course, which also offers chances for paragliding and other
activities.
As an addition to these, there are many more attractive mountains
that provide an abundance of opportunities for hiking, rock
climbing, mountaineering, and other outdoor activities, which has
a significant impact on Union territory’s economy.

Kashmir valley–-The valley of Kashmir has been variably

characterized as an 'emerald set in pearls'. Emperor Jahangir was
enchanted by this wonderful treasure, and he said, "If there is a
paradise on earth, it is here, it is here, it is here". When it
comes to economic activity, tourism in Jammu and Kashmir has a
prominent role in the Union Territory’s economy. It is covered
with high mountains, lush green forests, sweet springs, perennial
rivers, picturesque alpine scenery and pleasant atmosphere in
Kashmir. Kashmir lovingly with the snow clad mountain peaks
exotic orchards, alpine forests and many more. The divine and
delightful land of Jammu and Kashmir is a boon to the worldwide
natural lovers. The important tourist destinations here (in
Kashmir) are Gulmarg, Sunmarg, Dal lake, Pahalgam, betaab valley,
Mughal road, Tulip garden and Pari Mahal.

Bhaderwah–-For 200 kilometers, the road from Jammu to

Bhaderwah, slips, slithers and snakes through some of India's
most jaw-dropping terrains. Forested slopes and decrepit tuck
shops pass by in an ivy green blur, and the reticent river,
Neeru, glistens away into the horizon. And after five languorous
hours and 40 odd minutes, the bowl-shaped valley of Bhaderwah
comes into view.
Bhaderwah will cause you to lose your heart in mere seconds to
the once sleepy valley, its snow-dusted mountains. Perpetually
shimmering under the winter sun, they beckon travelers from
across the world, making it near impossible to leave.
Vasuki Nag temple,Gupt Ganga Temple,Seoj meadow,Sartingal road
and many more such destinations add to the unimaginable beauty of
this place.
Leh-Ladakh–-Ladakh, the erstwhile Buddhist kingdom is
spectacularly jagged. Arid mountains, dramatically crowned rocky
outcrops, picturesque gompas, meditational mani-walls and multi
hued flags are few of the many sites that exemplify the beauty of
Ladakh. The well balanced traditional society of Ladakh has much
to offer the West in terms of ecological awareness.Ladakh is a
magnificent and an unexplored wonderland of the Himalayas.You can
indulge in a series of adventure sports such as biking,trekking
water rafting, and safaris, on your Ladakh trip. Also known as
the “Land of Passes”, Ladakh forms an alluring part of the state
of Jammu and Kashmir in India.

But…
JAMMU-KASHMIR TOURISM AND ENVIRONMENTAL
DEGRADATION:

The unchecked and unregulated rapid growth of tourism also leads

to environmental destruction and degradation of local resources.
As the number of tourists in J&K has increased manifold, the
mounting pressure on the environment is leading to destruction of
the natural environment and fragile ecology of the state.

“Load on natural resources, pollution, waste generation and

damage to the ecosystem are the main environmental impacts of
tourism” (2016).

The main attractions of Jammu and Kashmir are its nature,

culture, and its world-famous pilgrimage centers. Therefore, J&K
is one of the leading tourist destinations in India and the
number of tourist arrivals here is increasing over the period.

Such problems can also be seen at other tourist spots such as Dal
Lake, Patni top-Sanasar, Bhaderwah valley (which is one of the
emerging tourist destinations), Katra (Base camp of Mata Vaishno
Devi Ji Shrine) etc. Tourists often litter the places with
leftover food and polythene without thinking about its adverse
impact on the environment.
The Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS)
installed recently at separate locations in Jammu and Srinagar
cities by the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) has revealed
that the pollution level in the city has reached a highly
alarming level.
Rapid increase in construction of tourism and recreational
facilities in J&K has increased pressure on the important land
resources e.g., forests, wetland and wildlife, fertile soil,
minerals resources, scenic landscapes etc.

Development in terms of facilities such as accommodations, hotels

and restaurants, and other recreational activities involve mining
of sand, soil (for making bricks etc) and other crucial mineral
resources and leads to soil erosion and extensive concrete.

All these facts and figures form an important basis for us all
to discuss the Ecotourism in our very own Jammu and Kashmir.

WHERE TO FIND YOUR DATA:

● News articles:
1. Greater Kashmir [greater kashmir newspaper ON Greater
Kashmir greaterkashmir.com]
2. Daily Excelsior [daily excelsior ON Daily Excelsior
dailyexcelsior.com]

● Academic journals:

Use a search engine like Google Scholar to find

academic papers on ecotourism development in Jammu and
Kashmir. Try terms like "prospects of ecotourism in
J&K" or "ecotourism development in Ganderbal district."

● Government websites:
1. Search for the Jammu & Kashmir Department of Tourism or
Department of Environment and Ecology.
2. Look for PDFs or reports on ecotourism initiatives.
Points Worth discussing:

1. What if there were no practice of Ecotourism?

2. Local communities and practice of ecotourism.
3. Is ecotourism the final solution to the devastation brought
to the environment?
4. Does ecotourism in this place promote responsible waste
management practices?
5. Are there any examples of cultural appropriation or
inauthentic experiences marketed as ecotourism?
6. How can technology be leveraged to support ecotourism and
minimize its environmental footprint?
7. What are the existing ecotourism initiatives in J&K, and how
can they be built upon?

The Board will be expecting a fruitful presentation and discussion on the well explained
topic of ecotourism in Jammu-Kashmir through this Background Guide. All the best!

Deputy Summit Leader.