Sikkim village sets up plastic checkpoints to shield fragile glacial ecosystem
Lachen, Sikkim: In a bid to protect its fragile Himalayan ecosystem, the village of Lachen in North Sikkim has set up plastic checkpoints for tourists heading to the high-altitude Gurudongmar Lake.
Lachen, considered the gateway to the sacred lake, has seen a surge in visitors in recent years. With it came plastic waste threatening the glacial streams, alpine meadows, and wildlife that depend on the region’s pristine environment.
To curb pollution, local authorities and community groups now screen vehicles and luggage at entry points. Single-use plastics, including bottles, bags, and packaged food wrappers, are either confiscated or replaced with bamboo alternatives provided at the checkpoint.
“Gurudongmar is not just a tourist spot — it’s a source of water and life for the whole region,” said a member of the local Dzumsa, Lachen’s traditional self-governance body. “If plastic enters these glaciers, we cannot take it back.”
The initiative is backed by fines for violations and awareness drives for tour operators. Vendors in Lachen have also shifted to bamboo cups, leaf plates, and cloth bags to support the plastic-free push.
Sikkim banned plastic bags in 1998 and has since expanded restrictions to bottles and styrofoam. Lachen’s checkpoint model is now being cited as a community-led way to enforce those rules in ecologically sensitive zones.
