📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Bruno413
Travel
Tourism boom in Sikkim’s Lachen and Lachung fuels liquid‑waste crisis
✍️ Sikkimexpress
🗓 24 Aug 2026, 09:48 AM
👁 3
A sharp rise in visitors to the twin hill‑stations of Lachen and Lachung has overwhelmed local waste‑water systems, prompting officials to warn of growing environmental risks.
The picturesque villages of Lachen and Lachung in north‑eastern Sikkim have witnessed a marked increase in tourist footfall this season, according to local authorities. While the influx has boosted the region’s economy, it has also strained the limited liquid‑waste infrastructure that serves the two settlements.
Municipal officials report that the existing septic tanks and drainage channels are operating beyond capacity, leading to occasional overflows into public spaces and nearby streams. Residents and shop owners have voiced concerns that untreated wastewater could degrade the pristine environment that draws visitors to the area.
The district administration is reportedly evaluating short‑term measures such as temporary waste‑collection points and increased cleaning crews, while a longer‑term plan to upgrade sewage facilities is under discussion with state agencies. No concrete timeline has been announced yet.
Environmental NGOs have called for stricter waste‑management guidelines for tourists, urging visitors to use designated facilities and adopt responsible practices. The situation underscores the challenge of balancing tourism growth with sustainable infrastructure in fragile mountain ecosystems.
Municipal officials report that the existing septic tanks and drainage channels are operating beyond capacity, leading to occasional overflows into public spaces and nearby streams. Residents and shop owners have voiced concerns that untreated wastewater could degrade the pristine environment that draws visitors to the area.
The district administration is reportedly evaluating short‑term measures such as temporary waste‑collection points and increased cleaning crews, while a longer‑term plan to upgrade sewage facilities is under discussion with state agencies. No concrete timeline has been announced yet.
Environmental NGOs have called for stricter waste‑management guidelines for tourists, urging visitors to use designated facilities and adopt responsible practices. The situation underscores the challenge of balancing tourism growth with sustainable infrastructure in fragile mountain ecosystems.