- 3 years ago
RTNext is a series of conversations focusing on the immediate future of travel in India.
The Union Territory of Ladakh is welcoming a growing number of tourists, as there is a heightened interest in the destination after the second wave. We speak with Saugat Biswas, IAS, Divisional Commissioner and Secretary of Ladakh who tells us how sustainability, carbon neutrality and skilling of locals will play a vital role in Ladakh’s future roadmap.
#rtnext #outlookindia #saugatbiswas #Travel #OutlookTraveller #OutlookMagazine #OutlookGroup
The Union Territory of Ladakh is welcoming a growing number of tourists, as there is a heightened interest in the destination after the second wave. We speak with Saugat Biswas, IAS, Divisional Commissioner and Secretary of Ladakh who tells us how sustainability, carbon neutrality and skilling of locals will play a vital role in Ladakh’s future roadmap.
#rtnext #outlookindia #saugatbiswas #Travel #OutlookTraveller #OutlookMagazine #OutlookGroup
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00:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:11 Welcome, and thank you, everyone,
00:13 for joining us once again on RT Next, our new series
00:17 of short, focused conversations on the future of travel
00:21 in India and South Asia.
00:23 Even as we speak, post-vaccine travel
00:25 is picking up pace in our country.
00:28 Apparently, there have been 50 lakh travelers
00:32 who've taken domestic flights in the month of July alone.
00:36 That's a 57% jump already.
00:39 So in this context, we wonder what's next for us.
00:43 We wonder what the trends will be like,
00:45 what the shape of recovery will be like.
00:47 We wonder if the tourism industry in 2021 and 2022
00:51 will be truly sustainable and inclusive,
00:54 as many, many experts have predicted, or will we simply
00:58 go back to our old ways?
01:00 At Outlook Responsible Tourism Initiative,
01:03 an affiliate member of the UNWTO,
01:05 we're really optimistic about the road ahead.
01:08 And we believe, even at the cost of sounding trite--
01:11 and I never get tired of saying this--
01:14 that there's light at the end of the tunnel.
01:17 The question is, how do we get through this tunnel
01:19 together as a community and build something that
01:21 is better and more resilient?
01:23 And that's exactly why we are reaching out
01:25 to the experts and the doers, the policymakers
01:28 and the policy implementers for the RT Next series.
01:32 I'm Shweti Banerjee, and I'm very, very glad to welcome
01:35 today Mr. Shaukat Biswas, IAS, and the first Divisional
01:40 Commissioner and Secretary of the Union Territory of Ladakh,
01:43 someone who has been consistently pushing
01:45 the envelope of sustainable development and skilling
01:48 in the region, with a special focus on carbon neutrality
01:51 and the revival of Pashmina and other local crafts.
01:55 Welcome, sir.
01:56 Thank you for joining us today.
01:58 Thank you.
02:00 So, sir, I mean, because we're going
02:02 to try and ask you a few questions that
02:07 can give us a sense of what you foresee in the coming
02:11 months for Ladakh in particular, and for tourism in general
02:14 all over the country.
02:17 I just wanted to say that, as it happens,
02:19 Ladakh seems to be on everyone's radar these days.
02:22 I was seeing a survey earlier this week by booking.com,
02:26 and it's clear from that survey that
02:30 Leh is among the top 10 destinations that are being
02:32 sought out by domestic travelers.
02:34 I was there last month, as you know,
02:37 for a community engagement and training program,
02:39 and I saw it myself.
02:40 So there is a--
02:42 how are you preparing for this new reality,
02:45 this heightened interest in Ladakh,
02:47 and where does sustainability fit into your plans?
02:52 See, you are absolutely correct in saying
02:55 that Ladakh has become a very sought-after tourist
02:58 destination after this, especially
03:00 after this COVID, loosening of the COVID restrictions.
03:05 That is true, but again, we are seeing tourism
03:10 after a break, which was, again, caused due to COVID.
03:14 So the tourism industry certainly, like everywhere,
03:18 has been suffering due to tourists not coming in,
03:23 which is a good thing that has happened to places like Ladakh,
03:28 and especially Leh and Kargil.
03:32 But then the idea is, or the aspiration
03:34 is of this particular sector here
03:36 is that it should be sustained.
03:38 Now, when we say sustained in a place like Leh or Kargil,
03:43 the disruptions that happen is in the shape of the season.
03:47 So the season becomes too harsh.
03:50 It becomes very cold.
03:52 And usually, after, say, October or November,
03:57 the tourism declines.
03:58 So what the administration is pushing for
04:01 is having a tourism season that runs through the year,
04:04 because Ladakh has so much to offer
04:07 in terms of its visual and experiential diversity,
04:12 even in the winters.
04:14 So we are focusing largely on winter tourism.
04:19 Let us see what happens this year.
04:21 But things are progressing, and the tourism department
04:24 of Ladakh is making all efforts to see
04:28 that the winter tourism, in terms of adventure tourism,
04:34 mountaineering, skiing activities, ice hockey
04:38 is already a popular sport that happens in Ladakh.
04:42 So similar such things, sledging and the Chadar trek
04:46 is a very popular event here.
04:48 So we are trying to see that the season continues.
04:52 And people of various interests, varying interests,
04:55 people who want to enjoy the summers come in the summers,
04:58 who enjoy the winters come in the winters,
05:00 who want to enjoy the snow, they go to Kargil
05:03 and participate in winter sports, things like that.
05:06 Then suddenly we also are having the snow leopard
05:09 spotting and wildlife adventure tourism.
05:14 So that is where we are heading.
05:18 Ladakh, as you must have also heard,
05:20 that has very clear skies.
05:22 And the Anle monastery, the Anle Observatory
05:25 is situated in Le district, so where you can see the galaxy
05:30 also at night.
05:31 So astro tourism is also something
05:33 that the administration is looking forward
05:36 to having in a big way, in a very organized and people
05:43 friendly, tourist friendly way.
05:45 Dark night sky sanctuaries is something
05:47 that we are trying to develop.
05:48 So that is where we are heading.
05:51 In Maan, of course, you already have such a setup
05:54 that the community has been running, I believe.
05:57 And I believe it's been rather successful.
06:00 Small observatories.
06:01 Yeah, so it's been fantastic.
06:04 So are any of these, I mean, I have to ask you,
06:06 is are you, I mean, you've already
06:08 spoken about winter sports and snow leopard tourism, et
06:11 cetera, trying to lengthen the season.
06:15 But in winter as well, as we know, especially in Ladakh,
06:19 it's a tough terrain.
06:21 It's hard.
06:22 I mean, the conditions are hard even
06:24 for people who are living there.
06:27 So if you stray too far away from the hubs,
06:31 it will be--
06:32 the infrastructure needs to be developed,
06:35 especially because there is dependence on heating
06:39 and on wood, et cetera.
06:41 So in that context, may I ask you,
06:45 I mean, because you have been particularly
06:47 keen on carbon neutrality.
06:50 And there are solar water heaters
06:52 and so on that are also being considered and being used
06:55 widely now in parts of Ladakh.
06:57 So how do you see carbon neutrality?
07:01 And what is your agenda for carbon neutrality in Ladakh?
07:03 And what are your focus areas at the moment?
07:07 Carbon neutral Ladakh is a vision
07:08 that has been put forth by the honorable prime minister
07:13 of carbon neutral Ladakh.
07:15 And the administration of Ladakh is doing
07:25 all its developmental activities,
07:26 keeping that carbon neutrality as a central focus.
07:31 And the honorable LG also has spoken, I think, on Outlook
07:36 only.
07:37 There was an interview last week.
07:40 So under his leadership, the whole design, the vision,
07:44 everything is geared towards carbon neutrality,
07:48 sustainable ecology of Ladakh.
07:51 So that is what we are trying to do, certainly.
07:53 Like you said, that we need to also have infrastructure
07:58 in various areas where we are trying to expand tourism to.
08:02 So the administration is doing that as well.
08:05 Carbon neutrality, we are trying to do in many ways.
08:10 Solar energy is one.
08:12 Like you may be knowing, large parts of Ladakh
08:16 are run on DG sets till date.
08:19 So because there is no grid connectivity.
08:22 Now we are consistently removing the DG sets
08:26 and creating microgrid solar systems
08:29 and lighting up the villages.
08:30 So that is, if we are able to remove all the DG
08:33 sets in the coming months, coming years,
08:35 then that will be a big step.
08:37 Then we have already started our journey
08:39 towards bringing in e-vehicles, e-public transport.
08:43 Even though the sustainability, the economic model,
08:46 that needs to be worked out.
08:48 So the beginning has been made.
08:50 It was just on the 5th of August that the Honorable LG flagged
08:57 off two electric buses for applying in Ladakh
09:00 and which are running now with the tourists.
09:02 So we are planning to get another eight buses, that
09:04 is 10 buses in Ladakh to begin with, for public transport.
09:09 Then there are various things that
09:11 are being done in the power sector,
09:14 in the solar energy sector.
09:16 Like ONGC has been tied up with--
09:19 Seki has been tied up with-- they
09:21 are bringing up 1.5 megawatt electricity plant somewhere.
09:26 We are also tying up with NTPC to bring in hydrogen fuel
09:33 and run our public transport on hydrogen-fueled systems.
09:40 So those are things which are being done.
09:42 Apart from that, when we are talking about--
09:44 I think you also mentioned that when the tourism becomes--
09:48 I mean, the volume of tourism goes high,
09:50 then there is a risk of disturbing
09:52 the ecosystem, et cetera.
09:55 So for that also, whatever we are
09:57 able to think of at this stage, we
09:59 are having solid waste management plants.
10:02 And by the name of Sangda project in Leh,
10:06 and one or two in Kargil.
10:09 So we are expanding it this year and the next.
10:14 One such project in every block we are trying to develop,
10:17 so which will have segregation facilities, waste management,
10:22 a complete chain of waste management
10:25 which is being worked out.
10:27 Plastic waste management is also being looked at.
10:29 Plastic compactors, various devices,
10:32 machinery intervention, technology interventions
10:34 are being put in.
10:35 Then one thing more that we are doing
10:39 is already we are developing a policy for e-waste management
10:44 in Ladakh.
10:44 So I think these are the initiatives which are being
10:48 taken up by the administration.
10:50 And in due course, we'll see that the whole scenario
10:55 has evolved into a carbon neutral space.
10:59 So I mean, just taking off from what you just
11:02 said about cost correction, and especially in areas
11:07 which have seen over tourism, and where there
11:10 has been in the past issues with waste management, et cetera.
11:14 Where you're putting in systems.
11:17 In terms of communication, sir, in terms of image and strategy,
11:21 I mean, how are you planning to take that forward
11:25 and communicate it to the person who's coming into Ladakh,
11:29 or planning to come to Ladakh?
11:31 How do you want to ensure that the work that you're
11:35 doing in the back end also continues?
11:36 Because travelers are more anxious.
11:38 Travelers are more responsible.
11:39 Is there any thought along those lines?
11:41 Anything in terms of campaigns, communication?
11:45 Every tourist place has this risk.
11:49 I mean, there are tourists of every kind.
11:52 People are there who are very conscious
11:54 and who are very alive to the requirement of the day
11:57 in terms of environmental protection.
12:00 But then there are many who are yet to learn.
12:02 So and there's a demonstration effect also.
12:05 If we behave well, then others also pick up from us.
12:09 So we are doing publicity campaigns in various ways,
12:13 be it in the electronic media or the print media,
12:17 wherever possible.
12:18 And we are also taking some--
12:21 the district administrations here
12:23 are taking steps in involving the tour operators
12:28 and the vehicles and the drivers,
12:31 the training of the drivers so that they
12:33 can sensitize the tourists.
12:34 And at tourist locations, again, plogging exercises,
12:39 a constant building up of this thought process
12:44 about protecting the environment.
12:46 So somewhere we fail, somewhere we are successful.
12:50 But our machineries are also there.
12:52 We're trying to strengthen our own machineries also
12:55 so that we can keep these places, like the Pangong
12:59 Lake or the Nubra Valley or other places,
13:02 I mean, every place, the mountaintops,
13:05 the trekking routes, clear of such littering and misuse
13:10 of the environment.
13:12 And I--
13:14 So are you looking at any-- sorry.
13:16 We are extremely hopeful about the intelligence
13:18 of the tourists also.
13:20 And we have had wonderful tourists
13:22 who have made beautiful films after coming here.
13:25 Short films you will see on the YouTube.
13:26 And this young generation, they're very alive.
13:30 They have made beautiful films to protect
13:33 Ladakh's environment.
13:35 Those things also get circulated.
13:37 Right.
13:38 So any punitive measures?
13:39 Do you even believe in them?
13:40 Will there be strict measures against those who are--
13:44 It is a mix.
13:44 The Urban Development Department takes punitive measures also
13:48 to places of larger gatherings, et cetera.
13:53 So every shops, et cetera, have been provided with dustbins
13:58 for that reason also.
14:00 And the shopkeepers also try to inculcate this knowledge
14:07 in the tourists.
14:09 If you buy something, if you pick up a wrapper,
14:12 please throw it in this dustbin.
14:13 Don't take it away.
14:15 Things like that.
14:16 So wherever these things fail, certain punitive measures
14:18 will also be taken.
14:20 So I mean, you talked about the fact
14:22 that you're trying to increase--
14:26 I mean, you're trying to extend tourism through the year.
14:29 You're looking at an all-round destination,
14:31 all-year destination.
14:34 I just wanted to ask you, I mean,
14:36 I know that in my experience, I find that diversification also
14:43 means that you'll be expanding your footprint,
14:48 whether it's through tourism or skill development,
14:51 further and further into areas that have otherwise not
14:54 had access to these opportunities in the past,
14:57 both because development hadn't happened until then,
14:59 and also because there was not enough interest at that point.
15:03 Let's say the homestay movement that is now gaining strength,
15:07 for instance.
15:08 Or I find that you already have a network of amasopas.
15:12 You already have a network of these youth organizations
15:15 who are above and beyond your political systems.
15:18 The gram panchayats, et cetera, they exist,
15:20 as they do everywhere else.
15:21 But you also have youth movements.
15:23 You have elderly women and local women
15:26 getting together to encourage each other to do handicrafts,
15:30 et cetera.
15:31 So in that larger scheme of things,
15:35 what are your plans for skill development?
15:37 I know that you're everything from pottery to leather
15:40 to crafts, superfoods, pashmina, of course.
15:43 I mean, you've been encouraging all of this.
15:46 So how are all these threads connecting
15:48 is what I would like to know.
15:50 And from a skill development point of view,
15:52 what is your vision?
15:54 See, Ladakh is a place of huge potential and diversity.
15:58 And the problem is that things have been here in the villages,
16:02 but they have not been able to reap benefits,
16:05 economic benefits out of it.
16:07 And maybe the economic benefits have
16:09 been reaped by other people not giving
16:13 the benefits to the people who are the producers here.
16:17 So various products, like the pashmina,
16:22 or like you said, pottery of various kinds,
16:26 and various products of sheep wool,
16:30 various products of camel wool, yak wool,
16:34 things in the food processing sector,
16:36 these things have not been--
16:38 what should I say--
16:42 developed to the extent that people can add value to it
16:46 and get additional income out of these avenues.
16:52 And what has happened as a result
16:54 is that even though they have this potential,
16:56 they have been working as petty laborers in BRO camps
17:02 and road constructions, et cetera.
17:05 So the administration has taken note of this
17:08 and has launched skill development
17:13 across various sectors so that market linkages can
17:17 be developed, supply chain can be developed,
17:20 and with the help of various agencies of the government
17:23 of India, the help of the various agencies'
17:27 financial institutions, we can actually
17:30 develop supply chains, thereby transferring
17:33 the economic benefits down to the villages.
17:37 So we are getting in institutions
17:39 like the Central Leather Research Institute, CLRI, who
17:42 are, as we speak, they are almost midway in trainings
17:46 in both Leh and Kargil district in development
17:49 of leather products, which is absolutely
17:52 a new field for leather.
17:55 Now, development of leather products--
17:56 and also we are tying up with agencies
17:58 who can buy those products from the villages itself.
18:03 Then we are doing skill development
18:06 in the handloom sector.
18:09 We got in NIFT to have longish engagements
18:13 with the handloom producers.
18:16 And they have gained out of those experiences.
18:19 And we are trying to extend them and create master trainers,
18:25 create very high-end design outputs out of such exercises.
18:32 Similarly, we are tying up with KVIC,
18:36 who are, again, giving spinning training, training in spinning,
18:42 not just on the regular hand spinning machines,
18:45 but on machines which can spin, say, eight spindles at a time,
18:51 four spindles at a time, which can increase
18:53 the productivity of the women who
18:56 are sitting in the villages in self-help groups
18:58 and trying to produce yarn out of pashmina.
19:02 And then we are also trying to create a yarn bank
19:04 so that we can buy the pashmina yarn from the spinners,
19:07 cooperatives, et cetera.
19:08 So all these things are being lined up.
19:10 All these things are being developed,
19:12 not only in these sectors, but in other sectors,
19:14 like electronics, like computers.
19:17 Various skill development initiatives have been taken up.
19:20 The courses are going on.
19:21 Students are getting trainings.
19:23 And we intend to, wherever it is employment-based,
19:27 we intend to get them into jobs.
19:29 Wherever it is self-employment-based,
19:30 we intend to put the people in the villages
19:33 to become self-employed, become entrepreneurs themselves,
19:37 and start their own businesses, and rather create employment.
19:41 So that is the kind of vision that we are working with.
19:44 MS. BEH: Excellent.
19:45 So I was just going to ask you about entrepreneurship.
19:48 You already answered that question.
19:51 Just a quick question.
19:53 So for travelers who are hoping to visit Ladakh
19:57 in the coming year, what would your message to them be?
20:03 MR. KANIKAR: Travelers must follow COVID protocols.
20:05 That is one.
20:07 MS. BEH: First.
20:08 MR. KANIKAR: Certainly, because everybody's health,
20:10 their own health, the health of the people of Ladakh,
20:13 everybody's health is very important.
20:14 We need to be very careful about while enjoying and experiencing
20:20 Ladakh.
20:21 That should be of prime importance.
20:23 Second is certainly, Ladakh is a huge space, huge expanse,
20:28 huge experiences to offer.
20:30 Not only one or two spots which are well-known.
20:34 So more of exploration should happen
20:37 so that they can gain most out of their visits.
20:40 And certainly, follow the ecological dictates
20:44 that Ladakh is a very clean place,
20:48 should not get destroyed, should not
20:49 get destroyed like various other places
20:51 that we have seen in the past in other places of the country
20:55 by littering, by throwing away plastic, such things.
20:59 So that is all our message.
21:01 We are all here to welcome all tourists
21:03 and extend all our courtesies to them.
21:04 MS. BEH: Thank you.
21:05 That's wonderful.
21:06 So where are you traveling next?
21:09 Or are you--
21:10 I know you're terribly busy, but is there--
21:12 I hope there is some travel plan.
21:14 MR. KAUR: I certainly wish to visit
21:16 the southern parts of India.
21:17 MS. BEH: Oh, warmer climes.
21:20 MR. KAUR: Yeah, we're waiting for the winters to come.
21:23 MS. BEH: Waiting for the winters to come, oh dear.
21:25 But it's wonderful to have had this conversation with you, sir.
21:29 And I am certainly very hopeful about Ladakh.
21:32 I myself saw that there is the conversation on sustainability
21:36 seems to have gained momentum even locally.
21:40 Even in the markets, you can suddenly see organic and eco
21:44 and words like that being written out and talked about
21:50 in places like Leh, which all these years didn't
21:53 talk about these things.
21:54 And Zanskar is opening up, and newer areas are opening up.
21:57 So really, really hopeful about Ladakh, sir.
22:00 So all the best to you and to the people of Ladakh.
22:04 We'll be watching.
22:05 And I hope to come this winter in Ladakh, sir, to experience.
22:08 While you're experiencing southern India,
22:10 I hope to come to Ladakh to see how cold it gets.
22:13 Thank you so much, sir.
22:14 Thank you for your time.
22:15 MR. KAUR: Thanks a lot.
22:16 Thank you so much.
22:16 MS. BEH: Thank you.
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