Meghalaya tourism body seeks ban on roadside cooking by tourists over littering concerns

The Meghalaya Rural Tourism Forum has urged the state government to prohibit roadside cooking by tourists, raising concerns that the practice is increasingly contributing to littering and environmental degradation at popular tourist destinations across the state.

The forum said tourists cooking along roadsides and at scenic locations often leave behind food waste, plastic packaging, disposable utensils and other garbage, affecting the cleanliness and ecological health of tourist areas.

It called for stricter regulations and better monitoring at major tourist destinations to prevent indiscriminate roadside cooking and ensure that visitors follow responsible tourism practices.

The organisation stressed that Meghalaya’s natural landscapes, waterfalls, forests and rural tourism destinations are among its biggest attractions and require greater protection from pollution and unsustainable visitor activities.

The forum urged the government to take appropriate steps to curb the practice and promote environmentally responsible tourism, while ensuring that tourism growth does not come at the cost of the state’s fragile natural environment.