Information about the Initiatives for environmental protection in Pokhara, Nepal
Tourism business in Pokhara depends on the preservation of tourism assets, which should be taken care by hotel owners, local people, farmers, businessmen, government workers, political parties, CBOs, and NGOs, the main stakeholders of tourism. all of them should add cooperation with one another to preserve the sweetness of Pokhara.
Ecotourism is additionally possible when all the stakeholders close to market tourism by preserving local culture and traditions along side upgrading socio- economic status of the people. The hotel entrepreneurs, one among the influential stakeholders, are directly associated with the tourism field. they ought to perform responsible tourism that specialize in preserving environment along side promotion of tourism.
Some of the hotels in Pokhara are taking initiatives to practice ecotourism to some extent. As an example , Hotel Barahi has set the instance in saving energy by using biogas plant where the feed for biogas is from the wastes generated from the hotel itself. Thus, the utilization of biogas plays significant role to attenuate the waste disposal in landfill site. Biplob Poudel, executive of Hotel Barahi, says “Due to Biogas Plant, our waste problem is solved.
Furthermore, we will produce renewable energy out of waste”. the main input materials within the plant are human excreta and kitchen waste. the benefits of getting biogas plant within the hotels and guest houses are easy disposal of kitchen and toilet waste, which helps to scale back the acquisition of LPG for cooking. This hotel has set an honest example of responsibility towards the society and environment.
Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge is additionally another example which has been promoting ecotourism through its activities. It verifies its commitment towards promoting tourism along side conserving the environment. it's set the responsible tourism policy that states “…TMPL fully supports and practices the group policy of environmentally responsible and sustainable conservation tourism. Protection and enhancement of the natural environment, the people and communities during which Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge is privileged to work are partners, stakeholders, and vital resources in our business”.
The lodge has clearly stated the management of energy, waste, water, and chemicals to form the business more resource- based and lookout of hazard . From the attitude of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), this lodge maintains the very best ethical and professional standards within the internal administration and accounting of the business.
It runs the notice program about responsible tourism and believes that the last word goal of responsible tourism – an enhanced and sustainable natural and social environment – can only be achieved effectively if all stakeholders are fully informed and are conscious of the problems .
The lodge runs a ‘Sustainable Action Group’ forum 3 times a year or more frequently where any member of its staff is inspired to participate and voice his or her ideas on how the corporate can become more sustainable. Guests are informed at welcome briefing about hotel’s initiatives to attenuate fuel and water consumption, reduce waste and use of chemicals. Guests are encouraged to supply feedback, comments and suggestions which are considered by the Sustainable Action Group and recommended for the implementation if they're feasible and beneficial.
Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge works closely with local partners, and national and international charities. It seeks to support community- based development and promotes environmental enhancement projects. Emphasis altogether projects is given to make sure that the ownership is with the community. The lodge undertakes a variety of biodiversity monitoring projects and supports various social development and welfare programs. Similarly, variety of hotels, guest houses, lodge and restaurants are offering low cost jar water rather than plastic bottle water providing refuel facilities. This campaign is rapidly increasing in tourist area because it's good opportunity for the tourists and also it reduces the utilization of plastics within the tourist area.
Another organization that always remains with the town in tourism development and environment protection is Pokhara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) established in 1955. Over the years, PCCI has become a dynamic and result -oriented forum of trade, industry, tourism and environment including health, education and infrastructure development in Kaski district.
It provides services to SMEs: Management Training, Skill Development Training, Programs for ladies Entrepreneurs, Agro based training, Local Business Training, Awareness Programs, Environment Protection, and Tourist Visit. In Awareness campaign, PCCI provides orientation on sanitation for public in several market areas. It also takes care of the promotion of Tanahun as tourism destination.
In Environment protection, it runs programs like drinking fountain Construction, Tree Plantation and Green Belt Development, Bucket Distribution, and Sanitation and Cleaning Campaign. These aforementioned activities are directly linked to socio-economic development and promoting tourism within the area. Recently, PCCI has successfully organized ‘National Industrial Trade Fair 2069, Pokhara’ from 6th December 2012 to 16thDecember, 2012. this is often also an efficient medium to market local goods and services which will help in promoting sustainable and responsible tourism within the region.
Pokhara Tourism Council (PTC) another umbrella organization is functioning for the welfare of tourism in Pokhara. it's been active in promoting tourism and maintaining the standards associated with tourism within the town. a gaggle of entrepreneurs coordinated by PTC approached agency to assist declare 'No Vehicle Zone' during a certain a part of the most road at Lakeside. PTC has claimed vehicles are the explanations for noise pollution and difficulties for tourists to steer on the streets due to the vehicular movement.
Convinced by the thought , the agency declared three kilometers of highway to be a 'No Vehicle Zone' for seven hours (15:00 pm to 22:00 pm) every Saturday. This decision came into effect from 9 January 2011 (Ghimire and Upreti 2011). This was an honest initiative in reducing pollution within the tourist area. However, thanks to the shortage of coordination among all the stakeholders and powerful support from government this campaign has paralyzed.
In a recent effort, PTC, the South Asia Regional Coordination Office of the National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) North-South, and Kathmandu University in association with 22 tourism and non-tourism related professional associations and organizations have formulated tourism ethical operation codes of conduct manual and CSR guidelines for destination level for the tourism sector in Pokhara.
These guidelines were publicly disseminated through “Pokhara Tourism Declaration” program in April 2013. the method of those guidelines formulations have supported to gradual building of data , awareness, learning, positive attitudinal 5 These guidelines were formulated under a partnership actions titled ‘Meeting the challenges of Peace-building in Tourism in Pokhara- Strengthening the company Social Responsibility and Ethical Business Operation’ executed through the cooperation and exchange between NCCR and KU affiliated researchers and tourism practitioners of Pokhara within the years 2011 and 2012. See www.pokharatourism.org for more information.
Changes and mutual affection on core problems (conflict-sensitive tourism) as rooted on the irresponsible tourism principles and practices in tourism industry in Pokhara. The responsible and sustainable tourism guidelines, which have larger thrusts on environmentally friendly tourism, are alleged to achieve potential of sustainable profitability through increased number of responsible tourists (international and domestic) arrivals and responsible and sustainable tourism behaviors by both guests and hosts in tourism industry of Pokhara (Upadhayaya and Khatiwada 2012).
For improving the condition and leading the tourism industry towards sustainability, it's necessary for all the concerned agencies to figure together and solve the issues . The CSR is additionally playing major role in promoting eco-tourism through participation of local people and personal firms who perform their responsibility towards society by conducting different programs with attractive slogans beneficial to tourism industry. for instance , tree plantation, cleaning campaign, awareness programs, and public demonstration [rallies] at different times are conducted by TMPL, PCCI, Pokhara Waste Management Private Ltd and few other environment-concerned intuitions.
Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) is that the model of community conservation in Nepal, the gorgeous country, tourist based country, , the gorgeous country, tourist based country, , the gorgeous country, tourist based country, . In 1986, ACAP was initially launched as an experiment towards an integrated approach in conservation and development.
The goal of ACAP is to mitigate negative or undesirable environmental impacts through promotion of local guardianship and making tourism or other development activities aware of the fragility of the world generating and retaining tourism, and other sources of income within the local economy through skills development, increase in local production, and native entrepreneurship; promoting linkages between conservation, tourism, and native development through a proactive approach in planning, tourism revenue for local development, nature conservation and tourism development, and diversification of tourism products (ACAP 1996). as an example , Ghandruk may be a model, village for tourists within the trekking route shortly from Pokhara valley (Shrestha 2009).
According to ACAP, the thriving tourism industry paved way for investment in hotels and other infrastructures and tourism figure rose from 5000 in 1990 to 17000 in 1999 (ACAP 2012). the most energy sources in Ghandruk are firewood, kerosene, LPG and electricity. Solar heaters are commonly employed by hotels for heating water which is seen as special service to tourists to get income. Many hotels and restaurants have switched from using local stoves to low-watt electric cookers.
Intermediate Technology Development Group (ITDG) has promoted it.6 therefore the use of solar heaters and therefore the easy availability of other energy sources has decreased the dependency on firewood by the hoteliers. This has helped in promoting sustainable tourism within the area thereby creating a milestone in mountain tourism development in other regions of the country. the event of micro hydro power features a positive impact on the environment by reducing the utilization of firewood for lightning, and cooking. Micro hydro has also helped to uplift socio-economic condition of the local people.