SHILLONG, July 5: A surge in tourist numbers has placed Sohra’s fragile eco-sites under increasing strain, prompting local stakeholders to urge the state government to adopt a policy of regulated tourism.
Popular sites including Wei Sawdong, Nohkalikai, and Lyngksiar Falls are witnessing a surge in tourist footfall every day. However, despite the environmental fragility of these locations, there appears to be no mechanism in place to manage the crowds.
Hundreds of tourist buses and thousands of private vehicles arrive daily, leaving the major spots congested throughout the day.
Alan West Kharkongor, president of Meghalaya Rural Tourism Forum, said although the Tourism Department had come up with a policy to safeguard the fragile assets, its implementation on the ground was lacking.
“The vision is there, and the government has realised that we are a nature-based tourism state but execution of the idea on the ground level is lacking,” he said.
He insisted that local authorities, such as Dorbar Shnongs which manage these assets, must now take care of the environment and apply some regulations while earning from tourism.
Kharkongor feared that if the situation continued, Meghalaya would get only the wrong kind of tourists rather than those who value the nature and serenity that the state offers. He said increased tourism would generate income for people but cautioned that the state must not lose its natural assets in the process as they are its unique selling point.
The rise in tourist numbers in Sohra has overwhelmed local infrastructure. When this scribe recently visited the place, restaurants reported waiting times of nearly an hour for a table, while popular roadside stalls in Mawkdok were packed to capacity.
Hoteliers attributed the spike to disrupted road connectivity toward Dawki due to recent landslides, which diverted the bulk of the tourist traffic to Sohra.
Kharkongor took note of recent incidents at the living root bridges in Siej where some tourists were seen jumping on the fragile natural asset.
Meanwhile, the Meghalaya Rural Tourism Forum has decided to discuss the situation soon and submit a petition to the state government.
