'Tourism activities negatively impacted Himalayan brown bear habitat in Kashmir'

PTI New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal has been informed that tourism activities and tunnelling projects in Kashmir's Sonamarg have negatively impacted the habitat of the Himalayan brown bear. Earlier, while hearing the issue of the depleting habitat of the Himalayan brown bear because of the several reasons, including the unplanned disposal and treatment of waste in the Sonamarg region, the tribunal sought a response from the Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee (JKPCC).

The tribunal had noted that according to a study, 75 per cent of the diet of bears in the area comprised human- made garbage dumps including plastic and organic food waste. In its reply dated November 11, the JKPCC said it had directed the regional director of the pollution control committee in Kashmir to submit a comprehensive report. Pursuant to its directions, the committee formed a panel to find the status of tourism and its impact on brown bear habitat, besides assessing the quantification and disposal of the food waste in the area, the reply said. The panel's report, which was annexed to the reply, said Sonamarg was among the few Himalayan bear habtats in the country.