Mahabaleshwar: India’s fragile hill states choke under tourist rush

Tourism is choosing up once more in India after a lull attributable to the Covid-19 pandemic.

For holidaymakers, the cool climate and scenic fantastic thing about India’s hill and mountain retreats – from Mahabaleshwar within the west to Ooty within the south – have at all times been an enormous draw.

For locals, the push of vacationers means a lift to their incomes – a lot wanted after the devastation attributable to the pandemic.

However the surge is appearing as a double-edged sword for the ecologically fragile vacation spots – that are buckling below the pressure of site visitors, extra waste and unbridled building.

Reporting by Nikhil Inamdar; shot and edited by Vishnu Vardhan; produced by Ayushi Shah