Sikkim Govt Says You Cannot Enter the State Without a Garbage Bag

To promote sustainable travel and tourism and to keep the place clean, the government of Sikkim has announced that all tourist vehicles entering the state will now have to carry large garbage bags.

Bring Garbage Bags to Gain Entry

Sikkim’s Tourism and Civil Aviation Department has informed the public that the Sikkim government has now made it mandatory for all tourist vehicles to carry large garbage bags. All tour operators, travel agencies, hotels, etc., are asked to inform travellers under their care about the new rule. The tourists have been asked to use these garbage bags to dispose of any waste they might produce during their visit, hence keeping the state neat and clean and avoiding littering.

Random checks will be done to ensure the rule's implementation and whosoever is found violating it will have to pay fines. With the new rule, Sikkim aims to establish itself as a neat and clean city, promote the cleanliness drive in India, and encourage tourists to use the same sustainable practices everywhere they go. The tourism department is sure that this initiative will reduce littering in the state. Though Sikkim is the least populated state in India, with around 600,000 residents, it still attracts more than 2 million visitors annually.