Save Phewa Lake's Pristine Beauty

Travelling has a long glorious history, with humans exploring new places for hunting, trade and leisurely activities. Today, travelling can no longer be confined to a mere leisurely activity, it is an immersive experience that enriches the soul and mind. In a world constantly buzzing with noise and distractions, traveling can be a refugee and magical escape. No wonder, the tourism industry is one of the most prominent industries across the world. In 2023 alone, the travel industry contributed almost $10 trillion to the global GDP. Likewise, Nepal generated $2.5 billion in revenue from tourism, contributing 7.9 per cent to GDP in 2023 and of the total revenue generated from tourism, Pokhara tourism made up a significant proportion.

Pokhara is one of the most beautiful and cherished destinations of Nepal. Studies show that 40 per cent of tourists arriving in Nepal visit Pokhara.  It boasts of magical Machhapuchhre Mountain, Phewa Lake, the iconic monument World Peace Pagoda, the Annapurna mountain range and many more. No wonder, Pokhara witnesses a massive influx of not only international tourists but also domestic tourists. Being an avid traveler myself, this year as well, I made my way into Pokhara to break free from the monotony of daily life and regardless of the frequency of visits to Phewa Lake, it's kind of a ritual to head to Phewa Lake and rejoice its serenity, calmness and solitude. 

Magical spell of Phewa

The tranquillity, vastness and stillness of Phewa Lake cast a magic spell upon visitors. As we breathe in the beauty of Phewa Lake, time seems to pause allowing the magical moments to stretch infinitely. The magical and mystical aura of Phewa Lake is unmatched, it has a legacy of many years. However, on my recent visit to Pokhara, it was heart-wrenching to witness the magic and beauty of Phewa Lake fading owing to pollution in and around it. Phewa Lake seemed visually displeasing with its surroundings littered with food wrappers, cigarette buds, papers and plastic bottles. The water also seemed very dirty and contaminated and floating mineral water bottles in the lake harmed its pristine beauty. The boating and pleasant walk around Phewa Lake was wrecked by the sight of litter everywhere.

It is no longer enough to declare Pokhara as the “Tourism Capital of Nepal” when the basic groundwork of keeping its major attractions clean is far from achieved. A huge influx of visitors to Pokhara could be a huge irony if the irresponsible behaviour of citizens littering recklessly in and around Phewa Lake is left unaddressed. The most cherished destination could be abandoned by the visitors as littering not only taints its aesthetics and beauty but also siphons fun out of recreational experiences.

Besides this, littering also has devastating consequences for humanity. It pollutes air, land and water causing different kinds of health issues like respiratory illness and asthma. Littering which gets blown or washed into lakes gets contaminated due to which waterborne diseases like cholera and diarrhoea spread rapidly. Likewise, the quality of air is reduced due to the smell and toxic chemical vapour emanating from the trash. Cigarettes, a common form of littering, containing toxic substances that take years to decompose can contaminate soil.

The issue of such humungous magnitude must be addressed on time to save nature from perishing. It has become a common practice on the part of the public to make the government a scapegoat for problems of varying magnitude. While the deficiency of the government cannot be denied, it is also imperative on the part of the general public to dig deeper and ask their conscience if they are fulfilling their obligation towards nature. It’s convenient to shift blame to the government for even minuscule tasks, but not putting in the simple effort of throwing rubbish into trash bins is unforgivable. 

Questions that ought to be raised are, is it out of lack of awareness of the consequences of littering, or is it out of laziness and carelessness that has led to careless littering. The questions concerning lack of awareness can be addressed by the government by conducting awareness programmes, thereby making people aware of the consequences of littering along with installing rubbish bins in major spots. If education fails to serve its purpose, imposing strict penalties if caught violating rules could be a reliable option. Apart from this, local governments can also organize community clean-up programmes by involving locals.

Learning from KMC  

In this regard, a leaf can be taken from the Mayor of Kathmandu, Balendra Shah who has done a commendable job of initiating a river clean programme by involving concerned people. Not only this, but under his leadership, New Road, the heart of Kathmandu, has undergone a complete transformation with widened sidewalks, dangling wires management and colour-coordinated buildings. Mayor Shah’s endeavour to beautify Kathmandu and keep it pollution-free deserves to be heralded revolutionary and can serve as an inspiration to the local government of Pokhara.  

Phewa Lake commands attention from visitors across the world due to its breathtaking beauty. However, simply basking in the glory of its beauty and aesthetics is unlikely to yield rich dividends in the long run if efforts are not underway to keep it free from pollution. It must be registered in every individual’s conscience that letting the beauty of Phewa Lake fade would be a terrible loss to humanity. To ensure thriving and flourishing Phewa Lake, locals, domestic as well as international tourists and the government must be guided by a strong moral compass and have a strong sense of responsibility towards nature. 

 (Shrestha is a chief instructor/director at Suva Consultancy & Training Institute.)