Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Itanagar: Tawang Police in Arunachal Pradesh are cracking down on visitors treating local waterbodies like public swimming pools. Anyone caught bathing, swimming, or dumping waste in the sacred Gonkhar La Lake now faces immediate fines and legal consequences. The warning follows a November 7 incident where a tourist, Shihbul Hasan, ignored clear prohibitions and entered the water.
Hasan provided a handwritten apology to the officer-in-charge at the Jang police station the same day. He admitted he knew the rules before jumping in. "I had no intention of disrespecting their faith, traditions or culture," Hasan wrote. He promised he would not repeat the behavior after local residents complained that his actions wounded their religious sentiments.
The police advisory emphasizes that the lake holds deep religious and ecological significance. Officials explicitly banned washing, using soap, or tossing trash and religious offerings into the water. The district tourism department backed this in August, asking travelers to respect local customs at high-altitude sites.
Safety remains a major issue in the region. Two tourists drowned in the frozen Sela Lake this January, leading officials to tighten access to vulnerable areas. Tawang Deputy Commissioner Namgyal Angmo has repeatedly reminded the public that these lakes serve as vital cultural sites, not simple tourist attractions.
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