World
‘Like Kashmir’: How a toxic marble dump yard became a tourist spot in India
Vast 'snow yard' in otherwise arid Rajasthan attracts hundreds of tourists daily, but residents face major health risks.
Al Jazeera•
Kishangarh, India – As Bagharam Gurjar kneels to pull weeds from his maize field in western India’s Rajasthan state, the sound of his wife coughing nearby makes him restless.
“May God make everything right,” replies his wife between bouts of chronic cough. “Otherwise, it becomes difficult to grow crops.”
The Gurjars are among nearly 5,000 people living in the vicinity of what has turned out to be one of the most unusual tourist destinations in India.
“Since the waste particles are smaller than 75 micrometres, they can spread far and wide, making the soil infertile,” the study said.