Concerned for the safety and procreation process of snow leopard and other endangered wildlife species which descend down to lower areas after winter snowfall, the Spiti administration on Monday imposed a complete ban on car rallies in major sanctuary areas. Additional district magistrate (ADM) at Spiti Gian Sagar Negi said it has been seen that various travel agencies organise car rallies especially during winter season in Spiti valley which passes through snow leopard landscapes of Kibber wildlife sanctuary. “Animals like snow leopard, blue sheep, Himalayan serow and ibex descend down to lower elevation after snowfall in higher regions. February and March is the mating season of snow leopards. Passage of heavy vehicular traffic is not only disturbing the natural habitats of the animals but it will also adversely affect the procreation of snow leopards which are highly endangered species,” he said. The ADM imposed a ban on car rallies in Kibber wildlife sanctuary through Lidang, Demul, Komic, Hikkim and Langcha village areas and from Rangrik bridge to Chicham via Kee and Kibber villages with immediate effect. “Any violation of this order will attract legal action under Wildlife Protection Act and Section 188 of CrPC. He added that both state and Centre are making efforts for conservation of these wild animals through different projects and programmes. “The heavy rush of the vehicles and their loud sounds are disturbing the wild animals. Kibber sanctuary is home to snow leopard and many other rare species. Snow leopard sighting tours in winter season are one of the major sources of income for local residents. The car rallies are posing threat to the wild animals and will also indirectly hit the snow leopard sighting tours. This important issue was brought to my notice and imposing ban on car rallies was very important,” Negi added. A
Concerned for the safety and procreation process of snow leopard and other endangered wildlife species which descend down to lower areas after winter snowfall, the Spiti administration on Monday imposed a complete ban on car rallies in major sanctuary areas. Additional district magistrate (ADM) at Spiti Gian Sagar Negi said it has been seen that
Tourism in Spiti has suffered major drop in number of tourists who are fearing their safety in tribal mountains following landslides and heavy rains this month. Chandertal, Kibber, Kaza, Losar, Nako, Tabo, Kunzum pass, Dhankar monastery, Kungri Gompa and Thang Yug gompa are the main tourist destination in Spiti, the cold desert of Himachal. Due to snowfall and frequent landslides on connecting roads to Spiti, tourists, mostly domestic, are not daring to visit this hill resort. Kaza, the headquarters of Spiti which is well known as the first choice of foreigners, is recording a major drop in tourists this year. “My jeep and clients trapped between snows at Chandertal for six days,” said Pritam Thakur, a driver, adding, “I had to bring my clients, all trekkers, to Manali from Chandertal on August 14 but snowfall blocked all the highways. We camped in Chandertal for two days and reached Rohtnang on August 16. Another landslide had blocked the highway here. Having no other option, my clients had to walk on foot but my jeep could reach Manali on August 20. Many tourists fear only with the name of Spiti.” Being blocked for a while after landslides, Spiti-Kinnaur highway remains operational for most of the time but tourists prefer a round trip of Manali-Spiti-Kinnaur which covers all the attractions of cold deserts. In such if landslide or snowfall blocks highway at any place, tourists have no other option than to wait for its reopening. Otherwise, they will have to travel back on the same route for many days in vain. A shopkeeper in Kaza, Satpal Mahajan, said landslides and rains are posing threat to the tourism, ruining season in the second consecutive year. Recalling last year’s season, Mahajan said, “Incessant rains had ruined last year’s tourism season in Spiti and again this
Tourism in Spiti has suffered major drop in number of tourists who are fearing their safety in tribal mountains following landslides and heavy rains this month. Chandertal, Kibber, Kaza, Losar, Nako, Tabo, Kunzum pass, Dhankar monastery, Kungri Gompa and Thang Yug gompa are the main tourist destination in Spiti, the cold desert of Himachal. Due
Seven months after the Manali-Spiti highway was closed following a heavy snowfall at Kunzum pass, the highway has been partially opened for traffic on Tuesday. Perched at height of 15,050 feet, Kunzum pass, the gateway to Spiti valley of Himachal had received around 50 feet of snow this year. This pass is the only route to connect the Lahaul valley directly with Spiti division of the same district. Due to closure of the pass, residents of the district were forced to travel around 800 kilometres to reach the other end of same district covering Kinnaur, Shimla and Kullu districts. The Manali-Koksar-Batal-Kaza (Spiti) route is one of the widely used adventurous routes of the world. Every year thousands of backpackers, mostly trekkers, mountain bikers and mountaineers use the route to reach Chandertal Lake, Kibber, Losar, Hansa, Komic and Chango. World famous monasteries like Kye, Tabo, Dhankar are also in Spiti valley of Lahaul-Spiti district. The panoramic Manali-Spiti highway provides a majestic view of Himachal’s largest glacier Bara Sigri. As the Rohtang pass was restored on May 28, around a month late than usual, the Kunzum pass too has been restored around two weeks later than usual due to record snowfall in past 20 years. Kaza is a most preferred station of foreigners. The 412 km-long Shimla-Kaza highway remains open for traffic almost all the year but the main road to Kaza starts from Manali which remains closed for six months every year near Rohtang pass and Kunzum Pass. This route being closed till late June this year, Spiti has bear huge loss. “At least 20 feet high walls of snow are still protecting the edges of highway at Kunzum pass,” newly posted executive engineer at PWD Spiti division Vipin Kumar said who faced such working conditions for the first time. He
Seven months after the Manali-Spiti highway was closed following a heavy snowfall at Kunzum pass, the highway has been partially opened for traffic on Tuesday. Perched at height of 15,050 feet, Kunzum pass, the gateway to Spiti valley of Himachal had received around 50 feet of snow this year. This pass is the only route
