PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE /Dehradun
Uttarakhand Tourism department officials stated that pilgrims visiting Kedarnath may soon have access to 24-hour hot water supply under a pilot project that will use biomass pellet-based geysers fuelled by pellets made from pirul (dry pine needles) and mule dung.
Under the initiative, mule dung generated along the Kedarnath trek route will be collected by Sulabh International while pirul will be gathered from forests in Rudraprayag district by Self-Help Groups (SHGs). The raw material will be processed into biomass pellets at a pellet manufacturing unit in Sonprayag, they said. The officials added that the pellets will be supplied along with biomass energy stoves and geysers to selected dhaba operators on the Kedarnath route. The project is aimed at addressing the shortage of hot drinking water often faced by pilgrims visiting the Dham.
The one-year pilot project has been designed to ensure a steady supply of fuel for dhaba operators while improving facilities available to pilgrims. Fire pellets, biomass stoves and geysers will be provided free of cost during the trial period, officials said. The initiative is also expected to create an alternative use for pine needles collected from forests in the district. They said that the project could contribute to local livelihood generation through SHGs involved in the collection process.
The use of pirul as biomass fuel is also being viewed as a measure that could help reduce the accumulation of forest litter, which is often linked to forest fires during the summer months. The officials added that the performance of the project will be monitored over the next year. If the model proves successful, it could be considered for implementation at other high-altitude pilgrimage and tourist destinations.
