Himalay Case Issue (HIMALAY Case)

          CASE NUMBER:        175
          CASE MNEMONIC:      HIMALAY
          CASE NAME:          Himalayan Trekking

A.   IDENTIFICATION

1.   The Issue
    
     The Himalayan mountain range in India is one of the most 

beautiful ecological wonders in the world.  At the same time, it 

is one of the most threatened.  Increasing numbers of 

mountaineers, trekkers, and nature-lovers have been making the 

annual pilgrimage to these mountains in such volume that the 

environment's natural equilibrium is in jeopardy.   Roads have 

replaced trees, campsites have replaced meadows - the sign of 

visitation is everywhere through a trail of non-recyclable 

rubbish.   Wildlife has been squeezed into remote and often 

desolate areas to escape the influx of humans and to search for a 

better source of food within a disrupted food-chain ecosystem.  

National and local government need these foreign tourists in 

order to support the economy, however it is obvious that at the 

present rate of destruction, the longevity of the "infant"

tourism sector will in itself be compromised.

2.   Description

     The Himalayan mountains have held a long history of appeal to
the "outside" world, and rightfully so.  From ancient times it has 

been revered for its snowcapped mountains peaks and the 

unfathomable depths of its ravines and valleys.   Many of the 

rivers, such as the Ganga and Jamuna, are held sacred and have 

inspired myths and legends.  The Himalayas have remained the 

center for dispersing two great religions of the world - Hinduism 

and Buddhism.  The exchange between the peoples of the Himalayas, 

from China to Tibet,  have produced wonderful cultures, rich art,
 
science, and literature.

     The Himalayan mountains are now the subject of attack 

from the very ones who aspire to its beauty.  The numbers of 

tourists visiting India itself has risen from 800,00 in 1980 to 

1.8 million in 1993.  (Dayal 1989 and Kottary 1994)   The 

Himalayan mountains seem like an endless opportunity for 

exploration - each range with it's own characteristics which
 
make one's heart burn with the passion of discovery. 

Unfortunately, the mix of nature and nature-lovers does not 

always result in nature preservation.
     
HUNTING

       Hunting is a popular activity in the Himalayas and 

surrounding regions.   A popular hunting site is the Garhwal, 

where hunting is permitted both inside and outside game reserves, 

albeit in a more restrictive fashion as of late, due to a 

shrinkage in wildlife population.  Out of the eleven game 

reserves in Garhwal, only three are open for shooting during 

selective periods the year. Only hunters with licences or permits 

are allowed to hunt, and this is restricted to a set ceiling. 

Shooting of some animals is banned altogether (see paragraph 21). 

However, tourists have often turned into poachers, killing musk 

deer for their expensive musk, and hunting deer, tahr, goral, and 

snowleopards for valuable skins and meat. Wildlife all over the 

Himalayas are being threatened by man. According to the Wildlife 

(Protection) Act of 1972, within Nanda Devi National Park, six of 

the fifteen indigenous species of mammals and seven of the eighty 

observed species of birds are considered endangered. 

MOUNTAINEERING

     The Himalayas offer wonderful opportunities for those who 

strive on conquering new heights.  There are numerous peaks in 

Garhal over 7,000m., which have been the object of many 

adventurers since the turn of this century. This spirit of 

conquest and adventure has been turned into a routine sport by 

the organizing of increased numbers of mountain expeditions. 

However, these mountaineers rarely venture up the peaks by the 

few; rather, they enlists large numbers of local porters to carry 

weeks worth of supplies and provisions. In turn, these porters 

"enlist" their local goats, sheep, and donkeys to carry the bulk 

of these supplies, which results in the small original 

mountaineering party turning into a massive entourage of man and 

animal. To keep warm, the mountaineers depend on burning 

firewood, which results in the areas surrounding the mountain 

trails being barren of trees and timber. While the porters are 

busy chopping down trees and brush, their domestic animals are 

busy overgrazing on vegetation. These actions often lead to soil 

erosion and potentially leads to landslides. The average 

Himalayan  mountaineer is said to stay on the peaks 20-30 days, 

and when he descends from the mountains he is often without the 

non-degradable provisions that he had originally started out 

with. Besides carrying canned goods, mountaineers often travel 

with and leave behind gas cylinders, carbon tetrachloride 

bottles, and first aid medicines.  Increased incidents of this 

nature within the Nanda Devi National Park once led to its 

closure for a period of five years.  (Singh 1989: 124) 

PLANT DESTRUCTION 

     Another problem associated with tourist activity is the 

collection of flowers and plants by tourists.  It is hard to 

blame the tourists, because many visitors are so intrigued with 

the vast array of beautiful species that they pluck as many as 

possible out of fascination or for scientific collection and 

study. Tourists often return from the Hemkund region with bunches 

of Brahmkamal (Saussurea obvallatta) in their hands, and are 

sometimes seen burning the Juniperus bush it easily catches fire 

while still green and serves as a source of amusement to playful 

tourists. The Juniperus plant, however, is a very slow growing 

plant and takes a long time to reach adult size.  Sticks of 

Zanthoxylum are sold to tourists at religious places, since it is 

considered holy and useful in various religious rituals. 

Chimonobambusa and Thomnocalamus are also being extensively 

depleted from their natural habitats since they are used 

extensively in crafts made for the tourists.  The rising numbers 

of tourists in the Himalayas is resulting in dwindling amounts of 

indigenous plant life and vegetation, which is particularly 

detrimental to certain areas such as Hemkund, Har-Ki-Door, 

Rudranath bugyal, Tapovan, and the Valley of Flowers. (Singh 

1989:105)  

ROAD CONSTRUCTION

     Considered the youngest mountain ranges in the world, the 

Himalayas have only become accessible due to the rapid 

construction of rural roads.  Increased tourism in the Himalayan 

mountains has led to rapid road construction to the villages 

closest to the major attraction sites.  This will bring many 

benefits to the people of these towns and villages, due to their 

increased access to and with the more developed cities.

However, the building of roads often involves the felling of a 

great number of trees, which are vital to the soil integrity of 

most hilltops and mountain ranges.  Landslides will have the 

potential to occur more frequently.  More roads will cause a 

change in rural environment, which some say will lead to more 

instances of crime.   Studies frequently indicate that great 

influxes of tourists and travelers often lead to increased petty 

crime and prostitution (social environment), simply because of 

the steady mixture of locals and outsiders whom have comparable 

differences in personal wealth.  If roads are constructed to 

these rural towns without a proportional amount of 

infrastructural development, it will result in environmental and 

commodity resources scarcity, as more people are competing for 

the same quantities of basic supplies. More roads must be 

accompanied by greater village and town  infrastructure so that 

basic resources such as clean water, milk, food, and firewood  

are not overused and depleted.

3.   Related Cases

     Keyword Clusters    
     
     (1): Trade Product            = Tourism (TOUR)
     (2): Bio-geography            = Temperate Forest (TEMF)
     (3): Environmental Problem    = General (HABIT)

4.   Draft Author: Odera Odenyo

B.   LEGAL Clusters

5.   Discourse and Status:  DISagreement and INPROGress

6.   Forum and Scope:  India and Multilateral
     
      India has ratified the World Heritage Convention of 1977, 

and since then five natural sites have been inscribed as areas of 

"outstanding universal value".

                       NATIONAL PARKS

1. Kaziranga National Park
2. Keoladeo National Park


3. Monas National Park
4. Sundarbans National Park


5. Nanda Devi National Park



    India signed the Convention on Biological Diversity on June 

5, 1992, ratified it on February 18, 1994, and brought it into 

force on May 19, 1994.  This convention will strengthen a 

multilateral forum for the management and preservation of 

India' natural resources.

7.   Decision Breadth:  1 

8.   Legal Standing:  Law
          
     Regions have influence on decisions affecting localities, 

however the national law requires special permits for tourists 

traveling to certain areas.
  
                    AREAS REQUIRING PERMITS


1. Arunachar Pradesh
2. Andaman Nicobar Islands


3. Lakshadweep
4. Negeland


5. Manipur
6. Mizoram


7. Sikkim
8. Himachal Pradesh (areas of)


9. Jammu (areas of)
10.Kashmir (areas of)




The following four places have been reopened:

     1. Darjeeling (West Bengal) 

     2. Assam
 
     3. Meghalaya  

     4. Tripura   

C.   GEOGRAPHIC Clusters

9.   Geographic Locations

     a.   Geographic Domain : ASIA

     b.   Geographic Site   : SASIA

     c.   Geographic Impact : INDIA

East to West, the Himalayan mountains consist across three 

defined zones - The Great Himalayas (average height 6,000 m.), 

the The Middle Himalaya (average height 4,000 - 5,000 m.) and The 

Outer Himalaya ( heights of 1,000-1,500 m.)  The Himalayas have 

been appreciated by its inhabitants for ages, for it has 

performed great services.  It has acted as a natural wall against 

unwanted population flows from the north, and stands as a barrier 

against the cold winds of Siberia.  The rich forests of the 

region filter the air and play host to the ecological cycle of 

life.  Those blessed enough to view its beauty claim it has 

enhanced and preserved a great deal of aesthetic values and has 

promoted the atmosphere of peace and love.

10.  Sub-National Factors: Yes

11.  Type of Habitat: COOL 

D.   TRADE Clusters

12.  Type of Measure:  Regulatory Standard [REGSTD]

13.  Direct vs. Indirect Impacts:  INDirect

14.  Relation of Measure to Environmental Impact

     a.  Directly Related     : YES TOURISM

     b.  Indirectly Related   : NO

     c.  Not Related          : NO

     d.  Process Related      : YES  HABITAT

15.  Trade Product Identification:  TOURISM

16.  Economic Data
     
     Tourism can be the largest source of income for developing 

nations.  If properly conducted on a large scale, tourism has the 

potential to give a boost to the economy and quite possibly be 

the main thrust behind its development.  In India, tourism is 

already second behind the gem and jewelry business in terms of 

foreign exchange earnings.  However, because tourism's foreign
exchange expenditures are quite small in comparison to the 

expenditures in the jewelry industry, tourism is actually the 

largest net foreign exchange earner.  (Bala 1990:96) Each time a 

tourist makes an expenditure, the money acts as a ripple 

throughout the economy, creating jobs and capital accumulation.  

As the monmey changes hands, it creates "new money", through what 

economists call the multiplier effect.  Local workers, once 

dependant on subsistence farming,  are now become entrepreneurs 

and businessmen, hiring guides and renting supplies to the 

tourists who come to the mountains.  Even the young and the old 

can contribute to the local economy by weaving souvenirs, such as 

baskets and clothes, which are eagerly bought by most tourists. 

In the neighboring country  of Nepal, nature-oriented tourism 

supports more than 50 companies, which employ over 1,000 

permanent staff and 5,00 to 7,000 seasonal field staff.  Per 

capita income of these workers in 1989 was $290, two and a half 

times the national average of $120.  Tourism helps diversify 

developing economies.
     
     Tourism can also brought a spread to the degree of rural 

infrastructure in India.  Besides the commerce that is brought in 

through the building of roads,  many countrysides have to some 

degree been "linked" to the main towns through sewage systems, 

telephones, electricity, and other tourist related 

infrastructure.  

     From 1980 to 1987 the number of tourists visiting India 

increased from 800,000 to 1.1. million. In 1993, 1.8 million 

tourists came to India in 1993, and spent Rs39.89 billion (USD 

1.8 billion). Foreign exchange earning for the 1993/94 fiscal 

year grew by approximately 14%.(Kottary 1994:27)  These 

statistics have positive implications for the national economy, 

in monetary terms.  However, India cannot facilitate this demand 

with only 798 hotels and 47,400 rooms.  The government has not 

the means to accommodate nor regulate the activities of these 

large numbers of visitors.   Although the potential for a faster 

rate of destruction of the Himalayan mountains is directly 

correlated to the amount of tourists trekking there, overall, the 

nation is still actively promoting the expansion of the tourism 

industry due to the developmental benefits of hard currency.  The 

government has liberalized  foreign investment regulations in the 

hotel and airline sector to stimulate the sector's growth.  The 

government's awareness of the environmental impacts of tourism is 

filtered, and often obscured by the burden of developing the 

nation.

17.  Impact of Measure on Trade Competitiveness:  MEDIUM

18.  Industry Sector:  SERVICES (S)

19.  Exporter and Importer: MANY and INDIA

E.   ENVIRONMENT Clusters

20.  Environmental Problem Type:  HABITAT LOSS (HABITAT)

21.  Name, Type, and Diversity of Species 




          
      LIST OF ANIMALS PERMANENTLY BANNED FROM BEING HUNTED


    MAMMALS
     BIRDS
    REPTILES


1. Elephants
1. Great Indian      
  bustard
1. Magar


2. Tiger
2. Pink headed duck
2. Gharial


3. Panther
3. Peafowl



4. Bharal
4. Monal pheasant



5. Swamp deer
5. Chir pheasant



6. Musk Deer
6. Koklas pheasant



7. Four horned       
   Antelope
7. Tragopan



8. Serow




9. Tahr




Reference: Kaur 1985, pg. 130.





   ANIMALS AND PLANT LIFE POTENTIALLY THREATENED BY TOURISM

FLORA
MEDICINAL
PLANTS
BIRDS
ANIMALS


1.Oak
 (lithocarpus  
 fenestratus)
1. Aconitum
1. Bulbul
1. Snowleopard


2.pipal pate   
(tetracentron  
 sinense)
2. Paris       
   Polyphyila
2. Bird of     
   Paradise
2.  Bear
 (Brown,
Black, and
Sloth)


3.Himalayan    
  fir
 (Abies
pindrow)
3. Swertia
3.Soneri Haldi
3. Tahr



4. Rheum
4. Haneskar
4. Goral




5. Pankwala



Reference: Singh 1989.







22.  Impact and Effect:  LOW and STRCT

23.  Urgency and Lifetime: MEDIUM  
     
     Calculating the effects of tourism for the future is quite 

hard.  For instance, the number of house-boats surrounding the 

Dal Lake in Kashmir has grown to 1400 from 400 in 1975.  

Compared to 1907 records, the lake has decreased 50 percent in 

volume since the turn of the century, partially due to people 

discarding their trash directly into the lack, killing aquatic 

flora and fauna. (Singh 79)  It is obvious the lake's future is 

in jeopardy, however, it is not yet known if the lake will be 

destroyed within the predicted 80 years, or if the present 

environmental awareness and pressure will bring about change.    


24.  Substitutes:  ECOtourism

VI.  OTHER Factors

25.  Culture:  NO

26.  Trans-Border:  NO

27.  Rights:  NO

28.  Relevant Literature

     Bala, Usha.  Tourism in India, New Delhi: Arushi Prakashan,
1990.

     Dayal, Ajit.   "India Tries Again to Boost Tourism Earnings:
Standing Invitation"  Far Eastern Economic Review, Vol. 44 June
8, 1989, pg. 113.
    
     Kaur, Jagdish.  Himalayan: Pilgrimages and the New Tourism
New Delhi: Himalayan Books. 1985.

    Kottary, Sailesh  "Tourism's Changing Focus"  Institutional
Investor  Vol. 28,  May 1994, pgs 26-27.

     Pacsoo, Joseph  "Himalayan Development" Contemporary Review,
July 1992, pgs. 36-38.

     Singh, S.C.  Impact of Tourism on Mountain Environment. 
India: Research India Publications, 1989.

     Suhita Chopra. Tourism and Development in India. New Delhi:
Ashish Publishing House, 1991.