PangongTso, the Hollow Lake, situated at a height of 14000 feet above sea level, and at a distance of one hundred and sixty kilometers from Leh in the arid snowy desert of Changthang, emerged into prominence after the exciting film titled ‘3 Idiots of Amir Khan was released in 2010. Tourists from far and wide began flocking to this scenic and breath-taking landscape on the roof of the world and the lake that presents a picture of pristine beauty and purity totally unpolluted till then by external bodies. But the fame of the lake also brought many woes to this secluded and sequestered Himalayan Mountain niche. More than three hundred tourist agencies in Ladakh area catering to the needs of the tourists from all over the world are faced with the serious problem of the tourists polluting the lake and the environs wantonly. As the tourists are advised to carry packed food and drinks and as there are no halting stations worth the name during the long ride, the tourists consume eatables and throw away litter by the roadside or the lake side. The emissions from hundreds of vehicles that visit the lake and are parked close to the banks of the lake make the pure lake vulnerable to impurities and food wastes. It is changing the culture of the entire region, which the locals resent very much. There is no supervising authority that would prevent the tourists from spreading litter like used plastic bags, wrappings, bottles and empty beer canes. The litter and air pollution have begun to have their impact on the migratory birds and the wild life that have reduced their annual visitations to the lake. The local authorities in Ladakh like the LHDC are greatly worried about environmental degradation and intrusion and fear that the pristine culture of Ladakh could get diluted and spoilt.
The Departments of Environment, Tourism and Wild Life Preservation as well as the District administration of Ladakh should come into action forthwith to save PangongTso and the cultural environs of fabulous Ladakh. A foolproof mechanism needs to be evolved which will ensure purity of environment. Taxi drivers should be held responsible and made to pay heavy fine if the tourists they are ferrying are found throwing away litter on the roadside or on the banks of the lake. If stringent action is not taken, the lake may shrink or dry up sooner than later and Ladakh will lose one of its most beautiful and attractive tourist spots.
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