Kedarnath Nagar Panchayat Collects 1,000 Kg Plastic Waste In First Week Of Pilgrimage Season

Dehradun: Amidst the surging crowds of pilgrims at Kedarnath Dham for the Char Dham Yatra, the Kedarnath Nagar Panchayat has achieved significant success in its efforts to keep the shrine free of plastic waste. The civic body has collected and compacted approximately 1,000 kilograms of plastic waste in the first week of the pilgrimage season and is also planning to construct permanent pits for waste disposal.

Kedarnath Dham, eleventh of the twelve Jyotirlingas, was opened to devotees on April 22. Since the very first day of the pilgrimage, the shrine has witnessed a record influx of pilgrims. Consequently, a massive volume of plastic waste is accumulating at the site, primarily consisting of water bottles.

The Kedarnath Nagar Panchayat was well-prepared to tackle this situation in advance. It established a Material Recovery Facility (MRF) spanning an area of ​​3,000 square feet within the shrine premises. The plastic waste and other solid refuse collected at the site are being sorted into 15 distinct categories, primarily into plastic waste, glass, tin, and textile-based waste.

A compactor has been installed at this facility, which is capable of compressing plastic waste — such as bottles — bundling it into bales weighing between 30 and 40 kilograms.

Executive officer Neeraj Kukreti said approximately 1,000 kilograms of plastic waste have been collected through this process within the first week. This material will now be sold, thereby generating revenue for the Nagar Panchayat, he added.

"Other waste materials, including glass and tin, are also being collected. These materials will be transported to Sonprayag and sold as scrap. The Nagar Panchayat has deployed a team of 55 sanitation workers for cleaning operations at the shrine in two shifts — morning and evening. Cleaning operations along the pilgrimage route itself are being managed by a separate organisation. As a result, a high standard of cleanliness and hygiene is being successfully maintained within the shrine complex," Kukreti said.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said Uttarakhand is renowned not only as the 'Devbhoomi' (Land of the Gods) but also for its fragile and sensitive ecosystem. "Therefore, we make a humble appeal to every pilgrim not to litter plastic waste or any other kind of refuse indiscriminately. The Government of Uttarakhand is making every possible effort to conserve the environment, not only of the pilgrimage sites but also of the sacred rivers and the majestic Himalayas. Continuous cleaning operations are being carried out along the travel routes through the efforts of municipalities and village panchayats," he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also appealed to pilgrims to refrain from using single-use plastic. During his visit to Dehradun for the inauguration of the Delhi–Dehradun Expressway in early April, Modi outlined five appeals to pilgrims and tourists, specifically the call for environmental conservation and the avoidance of single-use plastics.

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