GUWAHATI, Oct 25: The Sikkim High Court has warned hotels in the tourist destinations of Lachen and Lachung that they could be shut down if they continue to discharge untreated wastewater into rivers and streams feeding the Teesta.
The court issued the warning after an inspection by the Sikkim State Legal Services Authority found serious sanitation lapses, including sewage flowing from hotels and households into open drains and water bodies.
A division bench of Chief Justice A. Muhamed Mustaque and Justice Bhaskar Raj Pradhan described the situation as a “very sorry state of affairs” and directed the authorities to ensure that untreated wastewater is no longer discharged into rivers and streams.
The authorities have been asked to submit a compliance report within four weeks. Hotels that fail to comply within the stipulated period would have to shut down, the court warned.
According to the inspection report, septic tank outlets from hotels and households were releasing untreated wastewater into open drains and streams that eventually flow into Lachen Chu and Lachung Chu, two major tributaries of the Teesta. Inspectors also found direct sewage discharge into Lachung Chu and reported a foul smell emanating from the river.
The findings highlight the pressure on sanitation infrastructure in the two popular Himalayan destinations, where seasonal tourist arrivals add to the demands of local communities.
Lachen has a resident population of 3,010, besides around 1,575 tourists and other visitors daily during the peak season. Lachung has 3,332 residents and approximately 2,309 daily visitors. The report also noted the presence of more than 3,400 Army personnel across the two areas.
Waste management poses additional challenges in these remote settlements, particularly for properties located far from roads. Transporting collected septic sludge to Gangtok for treatment is both difficult and expensive, the report noted.
As an alternative, Army personnel in the Thangu area of Lachen are testing a bacteria-based liquid-waste treatment method suited to high-altitude conditions. Its effectiveness will be assessed over six to seven months before its possible adoption by local residents is considered.
In a broader effort to address the sanitation problem, the High Court has directed the state government to identify locations requiring sewage treatment plants across all six districts within three weeks.
The government has also been asked to communicate with the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti within the following week and submit periodic progress reports until the work is completed.
The initial compliance report on these directions is due within five weeks.
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