Guides who take tourists to Sandakphu, the highest point in Bengal and a part of the popular trekking route in the Darjeeling hills, have started clearing the garbage dumped along the trail ahead of the tourism season.

Amit Rai, the president of the Nature Guide Association, said 18 bags of garbage had been collected from the region so far.

“Forty-seven members of our association are cleaning the trekking route. They are passionate about preserving the beauty of the Sandakphu-Phalut region. Last year, we removed over 45 bags of garbage just before the season. But this year, we saw a remarkable improvement. It seems the awareness of the harmful effects of plastic waste is increasing among people,” said Rai.

The trekking route stretches from Manebhanjan to Phalut via Sandakphu.

The guides are based in the Srikhola Daragaon panchayat of Darjeeling district. The association has volunteers who strive to maintain the area’s natural beauty and
ecological balance.

Rai said the reduction in plastic waste showed that if tourists and trekkers acted responsibly, the situation could improve.

“We are inspired by the efforts of visitors and local people who are helping to keep Sandakphu clean and green. This initiative not only helps preserve the pristine environment but also raises awareness of responsible tourism,” he said.

The trekking trail remains clean and safe for future visitors thanks to the clean-up which also curbs pollution for better conservation of the flora and fauna. The route passes through the Singalila National Park which is rich in biodiversity.

The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, sources said, has also extended a helping hand to the guides’ association for the clean-up.

“We have set up a tourist desk in Manebhanjan and posted our staff in Sandakphu with oxygen cylinders which can be used during any emergency,” said a source.

Around 360 tourist guides work in the GTA area.

Last year, three visitors with breathing problems died in Sandakphu in a week. This has made the GTA provide oxygen cylinders at the site.

“We are also arranging a first-aid training programme for guides as most of them have no idea of the first-aid treatment and how to handle high-altitude sickness. They will also be provided with identity cards,” the source said.

Samrat Sanyal, the general secretary of the Himalayan Hospitality & Tourism Development Network, said: “We want the Sandakphu region to develop as a litter-free zone. The visitors should be sensitised to the perils of garbage dumping.”