BREAK EVEN

The Peace Trust is planting seeds of hope on the ecologically threatened slopes of the Himalayas

The Peace Trust is planting seeds of hope on the ecologically threatened slopes of the Himalayas
I was trekking in the Himalayas when I came across an unusual sight. Two trekkers,along with a few residents of the area,were on their hands and knees,picking up garbage that usually litters the hillside, says Shameek Biswas,a 32-year-old from West Bengal who works as an e-learning professional in Delhi. He first came across environmentalists Pushpendar Singh Rawat and Nikhila Trikha two years ago when he saw them cleaning up the hillside.

I was so inspired that I joined them. Soon,we became friends and I returned the next year to trek with them, says Biswas. The trip was not just a getaway but one which felt good. It is always good to give back to the environment that one has taken so much from, says the enthusiast.
Rawat and Trikha run an NGO,the Peace Trust,where they mobilise the locals and the campers on the need to protect the environment. As part of their Peace Tours,bands of trekkers traipse over the hills and dales of Deoriatal,Chopta,Chamoli,Pokhri and Rudraprayag in Garhwal,Uttarakhand,picking up after the picnic and planting trees. The local people are part of the eco-tourism venture toothey offer affordable home-stays for the trekkers. For trekkers,this is a good opportunity to give back to nature,mingle with the locals and savour the local cuisine.

Manish Chhetri,a Delhi-based mediaperson,says the tour was unlike any he had been on: I paid Rs 4,000 for the entire trip and I could choose what I wanted to dobe under a star-filled sky or listen to the waterfalls. Since we stayed in locals houses and ate home-cooked food,the trip was extremely affordable. Also,it gives me a sense of satisfaction to know that 70 per cent of what I paid will go to better the condition of the locals, says the 35-year old.

While Rawat is a full-time trekker who spends most of his time showing people around the Himalayas,Trikha makes it a point to return twice or thrice every year.
As a youngster in the 1980s and 1990s,Rawat would visit these small hillside villages during his vacations. And as he grew up,he realised the beauty of the hills was under threat and the people living here had scant resources to make a living.

The 34-year-old,currently based out of Delhi,then decided to devote his time for the hills. No,I dont have a regular day job, says the tourism graduate who has specialised in waste management. Besides mountaineering,Rawat also organises white-water rafting and canoe paddling tours.

For her part,Trikha loves the strenuous treks and the camping trips. I believe in Peace Trust because it is a grassroots organisation. We work with the locals,win their trust and love. It is a module we hope to perfect. If we can apply affordable,practical,innovative and market-oriented approaches to empower the marginalised and the poor and preserve the environment while doing so,what could be better? asks Trikha. Currently in Mumbai to pursue a career in acting,the 32-year-old helped equip Peaches and Pears,one of the guest houses run by the locals in Pokhri,with cooking equipment and a new menu.

The residents of Chopta,Tungnath and Bhoolgona villages have been supportive of the eco trips,says Rawat. People of Garhwal town were suspicious of the venture when we first started but the villagers have been so enthusiastic and supportive that it has made us hopeful, says Rawat.

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From collecting trash on the hillside to doing up their homes and reinventing their kitchens and menus,the residents have been positive and enthusiastic. Not only has this initiative generated more income for them,the locals now feel an increased sense of self-worth. Recently,the villagers were involved in tree planting and waste management initiatives. This has laid the ground for building a quaint cluster of cottages we proudly call the eco-tourism village. The first village is scheduled to be operational in Pokhri by late 2009 or early 2010, says Trikha.

The Peace Trust plans to identify a village in every district where they plan to run similar projects. We are,however,strapped for funds. We approached the government but they said we would have to be operational for three years before we can apply for funding, says Trikha.
The two founding members of Peace Tour are looking at recruiting students from AISEC,an international youth organisation,and business schools. Their logic is that this will give the youngsters good field experience in setting up a self-sustaining business module.
_For details,visit http://www.peacetrips.com.