The Hindi film 3 Idiots has had an unintended effect on tourism in Ladakh. After a scene in the film was shot at Pangong Tso Lake, it rapidly became a busy tourist destination.

Within a year of the film’s release in December 2009, the number of tourists swelled to 77,800. It went up to 1,79,491 in 2011. The annual influx of tourists continued to rise, until it touched 3,27,366 in 2018 (far outnumbering the population of Ladakh).

The Himalayan lake is 134 km long, and extends from India to the Tibetan Autonomous Region. While the Tibetan section remains pristine, the Indian side was being ravaged by unchecked tourism.

The sight of row upon row of tents pitched for tourists on the lake set off alarm bells among environmentalists. The facilities offered included several unsustainable luxuries in this high-altitude desert region. At 17,000 feet, food, water and oxygen are scarce.

The region, which comes under the Changthang Cold Desert Wildlife Sanctuary, has very limited resources to support tourism on this scale. The scenic panorama has been disrupted, the fragile ecosystem affected, and waste disposal is a mounting concern. The increasing air pollution has added to the woes of the locals. Unlike the song from the film that said, “All izz well”, all was actually not well in Ladakh.

Finally, reason has prevailed, and camping has been banned on the lake. A demolition drive was undertaken in April. The district administration demolished illegal tents and other construction on state-owned land in Spangmik village. The locals reported being happy about the move. The tourist influx didn’t benefit them but only helped moneyed folks from Leh who had invested in the hotels and illegal tents.

A few tents have since sprung back, despite protests. Will Ladakh summon up the will to safekeep its precious natural heritage before it is too late?

Sreedeep is associate professor at Shiv Nadar University in Delhi

Real life: Visitors to the lake can pose for an instant photo that recreates iconic scenes from 3 Idiots for ₹50

No desolation: The sight of rows of tents on the ecologically sensitive lake raised the hackles of environmentalists

Relic roll: The remains from tourist tents and private homestays lie around even months after they were pulled down

Half-done: A resort in the making was demolished by the authorities. No construction is permitted in the area now

Reclaiming nature: Tents and other illegal structures were removed from the shore after a demolition drive in April 2019

Off the grid: With a ban on tents, tourists are expected to flock to nearby tourist sites

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Money shot: Replicas of the yellow scooter which featured in the Hindi movie 3 Idiots, filmed at the lake, are available for hire