ANJALI YADAV / Dehradun
Taking note of the steady rise in the number of pilgrims and tourists visiting the high-altitude shrines in Uttarakhand such as Tungnath, Madhmaheshwar, Rudranath and Kedarnath, the Forest department is mulling to strengthen monitoring and waste management systems along the bridle paths to check the growing environmental hazards being caused in the ecologically fragile Himalayan region.
The officials admitted that garbage disposal on remote trekking routes continues to pose a major challenge due to the absence of motorable access in most stretches. Managing waste generated by thousands of visitors every season becomes increasingly difficult, especially during the peak pilgrimage months, they noted.
Speaking on the issue, the divisional forest officer (DFO), Kedarnath, Sarvesh Kumar Dubey stated that only four workers are currently deployed for waste collection across these trekking routes. “Their task involves manually carrying garbage from higher reaches to the road-heads, from where it is further handed over to local civic bodies for disposal and processing,” he said.
Sharing more, he said that the workers transport waste in large sacks, each weighing around eight to 10 kilograms, often over difficult terrain and under harsh weather conditions. “Once brought down to collection points, the waste is compacted and processed through designated municipal systems,” he informed.
Dubey further said that the annual Char Dham Yatra and trekking season lead to a sharp surge in visitor numbers, putting immense pressure on the existing manpower and infrastructure. “To address this, the department has submitted a proposal to the district magistrate seeking additional budgetary support and deployment of more sanitation workers. As part of the waste control measures, trekkers and pilgrims have been directed to carry back their waste, including plastic bottles, wrappers and other disposable materials, themselves. The government has also introduced QR code-enabled reusable water bottles under a deposit-return mechanism. Visitors are refunded the security amount upon returning the empty bottles at designated points,” he said.
He added that strict penalties have also been prescribed for littering. “Pilgrims found violating waste disposal norms can be fined Rs 100, while tourists and other visitors may face a penalty of Rs 500,” he said. He, however, acknowledged that enforcement proves difficult in crowded pilgrimage zones.
The number of visitors for Tungnath is very high and often difficult to manage. “At Madhmaheshwar, we have proposed a limit of around 250 visitors per day. Similar arrangements are also being considered for Rudranath and directions have already been issued to regulate visitor numbers there. Visitors are allotted slots on a first-come, first-served basis and entry is permitted according to their assigned time slot,” he said. He then hastened to add that tourism remains crucial for the livelihoods of locals dependent on hotels, homestays and small businesses. “We are not ignoring this fact and are now working with the Forest and Police departments to improve route monitoring and ensure cleaner pilgrimage corridors across Uttarakhand’s major trekking destinations,” he shared.
