The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Every year almost 1000 tourists trek along the Druk Path therefore making it the most trekked route in the country. In the process, they have left behind a trial of litter, causing grave environmental threat to our pristine mountains and streams. The route can be started from Paro or Thimphu, and takes 5 to 7 days to complete. The trekkers can enjoy beautiful mountains, lakes, glaciers, alpine flowers and fauna along the way.
This trek route has helped positively in generating income for people who have found gainful employment by assisting and facilitating trekkers. However, this has also had a negative impact on the pristine environment. Pet bottles, wet wipes, tissue papers, human waste, beer cans and food wrappers being the most common litters found along the path.
On 8th of May 2018, as a part of a multi-year effort by TCB, 25 Tourism Management Students from Royal institute for tourism and hospitality (RITH) along with 10 staffs of RITH and TCB ventured into a 5 days cleanup campaign along the Druk Path trek. A total of 80+ Sacks of litters were collected from trek routes and campsites. These wastes were segregated and handed over to the concerned agency.
The main highlight of this campaign was to create a sense of awareness and responsibility. Additionally, It was also to find a systematic and sustainable mechanism to collect waste from the area and disposal of it.
This clean-up was organized and supported by Tourism Council of Bhutan, mainly to encourage travel agencies, guides, porter, camping staff, highland herders and community groups across the trekking route to get active and work alongside the council to keep the trek route clean and tidy. Therefore, making It everyone’s’ responsibility to keep Bhutan clean.
Tourism Council of Bhutan carried out a similar cleaning campaign along the Bumdra trek route.
