Gangtok

Sikkim has made it mandatory for all tourist vehicles entering the north-eastern Indian state to carry a large garbage bag. Nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, Sikkim is the least populated state of India but in recent years, the large footfall of tourists has led to a disturbance in the delicate ecology of the region. 

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The authorities said the decision had been taken to ensure community participation towards achieving the goal of environmental sustainability. 

“All tourist vehicles entering Sikkim will now have to mandatorily carry a large garbage bag. It will be the responsibility of the tour operators, travel agencies and vehicle drivers to inform the traveller about using garbage bags for waste disposal," read the official order. 

Additionally, random checks will be carried out on the tourist vehicles to ensure compliance. If any vehicle is found violating the orders, it would be penalised. 

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As many as two million tourists visit the pristine locations in Sikkim every year. However, the lack of civic sense means they litter the area with garbage - a problem that most tourist states in India are struggling with. 

Also read | Sikkim’s 49-year wait ends as Indian state all set to get its first railway station

Overtourism - an international problem

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Sikkim suffering from over-tourism is not an isolated incident. Cities across the globe are facing a similar problem and their citizens are now starting to lodge their protest. 

Last week, Barcelona's mayor announced that it would be raising the tourist tax for cruise passengers visiting the Spanish city for less than 12 hours. 

"We are going to propose..substantially increasing the tax for stopover cruise passengers," said Mayor Jaume Collboni. 

The current tourist tax for stopover cruise passengers is seven euros ($7.61) per day but  Collboni did not say by how much the tax would be increased.

Watch | Barcelona residents push back against tourist tide

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In recent weeks, anti-tourism activists have staged protests in popular holiday destinations across Spain, such as Palma de Mallorca, Malaga and the Canary Islands, saying visitors drive up housing costs and lead to residents being unable to afford to live in city centres.

(With inputs from agencies)