Garbage bags are now mandatory for tourist vehicles entering Sikkim

Gangtok: All tourist vehicles entering Sikkim will now have to carry a large garbage bag on board, an official order has been issued.

The decision was taken to ensure community participation in achieving the goal of environmental sustainability, as mandated by the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation.

It is the responsibility of tour operators, travel agents and drivers to educate travelers about the use of garbage bags for waste disposal, the report said.

Random checks will be carried out on tourist vehicles to ensure compliance. Any vehicle found to be in breach of the rules will be penalised, it added.

Officials said that awareness campaigns on cleanliness are being conducted to educate tourists about waste management and environmental sustainability.

Sikkim, India’s most sparsely populated state with a population of just over 600,000, receives more than 20 lakh visitors annually to its picturesque Himalayan destinations, the researchers said.