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VOL. 11, ISSUE 1 (2026)
Human-made environmental disasters and their impact on tourism in India: evidence from industrial accidents, oil spills, and development-induced risks
Authors
Prerna Dixit, Dr. Chandrika Setu Sharma
Abstract
Tourism is fundamentally
dependent on environmental quality, ecosystem integrity, and destination
reputation, rendering it particularly vulnerable to environmental disasters.
When such disasters originate from or are intensified by human activity including
industrial accidents, maritime oil spills, extractive industry failures, and
environmentally unsound development, their impacts on tourism tend to be
severe, multidimensional, and enduring. This paper examines the effects of
human-made environmental disasters on tourism in India through eleven case
studies spanning the period from 1984 to 2025, with particular emphasis on
recent events between 2018 and 2025. Employing a qualitative comparative
case-study methodology, the study draws on academic literature, Supreme Court
and National Green Tribunal jurisprudence, government reports, NGO assessments,
and credible media investigations. The analysis identifies recurring impact
pathways such as environmental degradation, loss of amenity value, disruption
of tourism-dependent livelihoods, and sustained damage to destination image.
The findings reveal that governance failures, regulatory gaps, and delayed
remediation significantly prolong tourism recovery, whereas timely judicial
intervention, transparent enforcement, and community-centred recovery
mechanisms enhance destination resilience. The paper argues that Indian
environmental jurisprudence especially the principles of absolute liability,
precaution, sustainable development, and the polluter pays doctrine provides a
robust legal framework for integrating tourism protection into disaster
governance and environmental regulation.
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Pages:64-67
How to cite this article:
Prerna Dixit, Dr. Chandrika Setu Sharma "Human-made environmental disasters and their impact on tourism in India: evidence from industrial accidents, oil spills, and development-induced risks". National Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Development, Vol 11, Issue 1, 2026, Pages 64-67
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