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Chadar Trek may soon become history for many keen trekkers in India and abroad, as soon as 2020. The reason that it might see a stop is Global Warming, majorly owing to unchecked human traffic. If this continues for some more time, the famous frozen Zanskar River might vanish from the face of the region in a span of 2 to 3 years! The Chadar route, which is basically a frozen river was primarily used by the natives to get their basic supplies and also to sell local wares like copper utensils, goatskin, Yak butter etc. to earn their living during bone-chilling winters.
The bitterly cold temperatures that even the locals dread make the 105-km-long trek extremely inviting to adventure-seekers. As a result, many people have been visiting the region for day trek, overnight camping etc., thus disturbing the ecology and prevailing peace in the valley. With as many as hundreds of visitors making it to Zanskar for the trek every year, a lot of human excreta, litter, and other waste has been discovered on the frozen Zanskar river. According to the news reports, Chadar Trek might be closed down for tourists to salvage the existing peace and sanctity of the region, although the decision is not final yet.
This is also a wake-up call for tourists and trekkers visiting India’s Himalayan region to embrace sustainable tourism practices for maintaining the cleanliness of the destination. There is a score of ways to do so such as carrying stainless steel water bottles for refill rather than the mineral water variety. Also, carrying disposable bags to keep all your litter is a useful practice. Yet, we feel after the court banned camping on the Kheerganga region in Himachal Pradesh due to increased commercialization and deterioration of the environment, controlling excessive human activity in the Zanskar Valley might be a wise decision again.
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