The disaster in Uttarakhand has sent alarm bells ringing in another eco-fragile Himalayan region closer home — the Darjeeling Hills. And the focus is on Sandakphu, a quiet retreat up the hills, about 50 km from Darjeeling.
Experts say indiscriminate development in the hill town and the growing number of tourists are posing a grave threat to Sandakphu. Guesthouses, hotels and shops have come up, many of them illegal.
“We paid a formal visit to Sandakphu and observed that the Singalila National Park, located on the edge of Sandakphu, is in a bad condition. A large number of huts has come up, posing a threat to the region,” said Bharat Prakash Rai, convener of the Darjeeling chapter of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (Intach).
Full report here Hindustan Times
