SPREAD must keep environmental and cultural preservation at the centre of tourism diversification

The recent constitution of a high-level Steering Committee under the SPREAD initiative marks a major stride toward diversifying Jammu & Kashmir’s tourism landscape. With the Chief Secretary at its helm and a dozen key departments on board, the vision to promote emerging alternate destinations is timely and welcome. However, this ambition must be tempered with responsibility.

J&K’s remaining untouched beauty — from the meadows of Bangus to the lakes of Gurez — is as fragile as it is stunning. As this initiative seeks to bring infrastructure and footfall to lesser-known destinations, a central guiding principle must be clear: development must be environment-sensitive, culturally respectful and rooted in the ethos of sustainability.

The new tourism infrastructure must avoid the ugly concrete sprawl that has scarred other hill stations. Local architectural styles, indigenous materials and energy-efficient design must be made mandatory. This is not merely aesthetic — it is ecological wisdom. Kashmir Himalayas are a climate-vulnerable zone, and the risks of over-construction, waste generation and unregulated tourism are well-documented.

Equally, the polluter-pays principle must be institutionalized. Tourism operators, developers and even visitors must share responsibility for preserving water sources, managing waste and minimizing their carbon footprint.

Environmental risk assessments, especially in seismically sensitive and high-altitude zones, should precede any development approval. And instead of sprawling resorts with architecture out of sync with local culture and aesthetics, priority should be given to a new tourism culture that keeps local culture, architecture and scientific waste management as top priorities.

SPREAD has the potential to rewrite the tourism narrative in J&K — but only if it stands on the tripod of environmental sustainability, cultural integrity and environmental preservation. The valley’s beauty is not limitless; and safeguarding it now will ensure that generations to come can still walk the meadows, drink from the springs and breathe clean mountain air.