With a sharp rise in tourist footfall this summer, the Sonamarg Development Authority (SDA) has raised serious concerns over environmental harm and safety hazards caused by reckless visitor behavior. The authority has issued a strict advisory urging tourists to refrain from setting up tents dangerously close to the River Sindh and from littering the scenic area.
The advisory follows mounting fears of ecological degradation and potential accidents. The SDA pointed out that many tourists, especially younger visitors, have been observed pitching tents near fast-flowing parts of the river and dumping garbage in open areas, putting both themselves and the local environment at risk.
“All tourists and campers are hereby instructed not to erect tents near the River Sindh and to avoid disposing of garbage in open spaces. Waste must be collected and dumped only in designated bins placed across the area,” reads the SDA’s official circular.
Another pressing issue is the increasing number of visitors—some of them children—entering the river to cool off, particularly between Gagangeer and Fish Point. Despite the river’s powerful currents and clear drowning dangers, the banks have become informal bathing zones. In response, the SDA has announced a total ban on bathing or wading into any water body in the Sonamarg area.
“We have observed a worrying trend of people, especially children, entering dangerous waters. This is both reckless and life-threatening,” cautioned an SDA official.
To tackle the problem, the authority has implemented several new safety measures. These include placing warning signs at high-risk locations, deploying field staff and police patrols in vulnerable zones, and calling on parents to keep children away from water bodies. Tourism operators such as hotel staff, pony handlers, and guides have also been directed to brief their guests about the safety rules.
Finally, the SDA urged all stakeholders to play an active role in promoting responsible tourism and environmental stewardship. “Sonamarg’s beauty lies in its natural purity. Tourists must act as guardians of that beauty,” a senior SDA official emphasized.
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