India, Aug. 28 -- While cities struggling with light pollution shrug at it as a by-product of urbanisations, can hill towns afford to do the same? Preserving the night sky, the nightlife of the forests at the same time providing adequate lighting for wayfinding, security and aesthetics require a fine balance. Tourism planning must include a centralised policy to curb light pollution. Our study suggests the solutions are feasible and affordable. Local governance must adopt a stronger mandate for shielded fixtures in public lighting tenders and building by-laws, the way many cities already mandate energy-efficient lighting.

This also requires a larger shift in how we understand the role of darkness at night alongside what responsible touri...