Akshay Kumar, president of the Adventure Tour Operator Association of India, says when rafting first started back in 84, it was the industry that laid down the rules for camping. “We made it a point to not use flush toilets, electricity or generators. Neither music nor big parties were allowed. But over the years, these rules were diluted as indiscriminate number of camp sites came about.” He says that he doesn’t care much about what the VHP says but agrees that things have gone a little out of control. “We have repeatedly asked the government of Uttarakhand to draft a policy on rafting. The right way to go about solving the problem is regulating the activity – which by itself is one of the cleanest – than calling for a ban.” On the question of upsetting local sensitivities by consumption of alcohol and meat, he says, “Most of the camp-site operators are locals, and many do flout environmental laws. So who’s upsetting the local sentiments?”