SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN SIKKIM

Sustainable development

The concept of sustainability is now widely accepted for any type of development, including tourism. Sustainable development means development without degrading and depleting the resources that make development possible. It is conservation of resources for use and enjoyment of the present generation as well as the generations yet unborn. Sustainable development is based on ecological, socio-cultural and economic sustainability. It demands changes in behaviour patterns so that it is more conservation than consumption oriented. It is important that community and local residents receive satisfying benefits. More the benefits, the more will they become motivated and responsible to protect the area's cultural heritage and thus support tourism.
However, frequently, the community may lack a realistic understanding of what is involved in achieving this development. Hence, it is essential to educate and inform them to promote consensus, understanding and agreement on the most appropriate forms and extent of development. The official enactments and regulations are necessary but they cannot replace the people's participation as the most effective approach to sustainable development. And this holds true for Sikkim in more than one ways.
Most of the developing nations have defined sustainability in tourism in terms of maintaining the levels of tourist arrivals and receipts. This approach is narrowly focused as it ignores the need for ameliorating its ecological and socio-cultural impact. It is not the tourist volume per se that causes ecological and socio-cultural damage but the absence of adequately thought-out policies to handle any form of growth. The environment's carrying capacity is quite elastic and can withstand considerable tourism growth provided it is carefully planned and managed. The absence of inter-sectoral linkages hinders enforcement and implementation of sustainable policies. Further, the community and its resident groups usually have low levels of income, education and skills.
With India's need for faster economic growth and more foreign exchange, the planners jumped on the bandwagon of tourism development ignoring the considerations of heritage preservation and that of the socio-cultural environment. The demand for the fast pace of development of facilities was further accentuated by the impact of mass tourism. As a result, development process was imposed upon local communities without gaining their confidence and participation. They were relegated to the status of mere bystanders.
In many states in the country, the array of governmental agencies and the lack of coordination between them are nullifying the impact of the conservation regulations and the conservation of heritage monuments that are the main tourism resource is suffering. Despite all the drawbacks, the time is ripe for formulating a creative approach to heritage preservation, environmental conservation and people's participation so that the goal of sustainable tourism development is attained.
The State Government should take the following steps for a healthy, coordinated and planned development of all the tourism sites in the State. It should set up administrative machinery for closer rapport between central government agencies and the district and local administration for preserving heritage centres and creatively use the decentralised powers of district and local Panchayats for developing infrastructure. Efforts should be also made to create awareness about the benefits of heritage preservation and tourism development among the local community through imaginative programmes of education and information. It should also ensure that the aspects of heritage preservation, environmental conservation and people's participation are given due weightage. Involving the corporate sector, especially the major power project developers in the State in preserving heritage sites that are prime tourism resources should also be looked into.

Courtesy- Editorial board-Sikkim Express