As the ongoing Char Dham Yatra has been witnessing an increase in the number of pilgrims in the state, heaps of plastic waste and garbage have been seen piled up on the stretch leading to Kedarnath, a prominent place of worship in the yatra.
News agency ANI tweeted a photo of many tents spread across large swaths of land which are completely littered with discarded plastic objects such as bags and bottles, as well as other waste materials, giving them the appearance of a huge dump.
Uttarakhand | Heaps of plastic waste garbage pile up on the stretch leading to Kedarnath as devotees throng for Char Dham Yatra pic.twitter.com/l6th87mxD9
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) May 22, 2022
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“The tourist inflow has risen manifold due to which plastic garbage has increased as we don`t have proper sanitation facilities. This has affected the natural vegetation. Medicinal plants are getting extinct as well,” director of the Higher Plant Himalayan Research Institute (HAPREC), Professor MC Nautiyal, who has researched the climate change and herbs of the high Himalayan regions said.
The garbage heap in the Kedarnath area is destroying the valuable herbs here. Among the prominent herbs, several of them have gone extinct here, including Jatamasi, Atish, Barmala, Kakoli and other herbs, he added.
Limit on number of pilgrims
To ensure seamless and proper arrangements for pilgrims, the number of pilgrims at Badrinath has been fixed at 16,000 per day, Kedarnath 13,000, Gangotri 8,000, and Yamunotri and Hemkund Sahib 5,000 each.
Another expert, Professor MS Negi, Head of the Department of Geography, Garhwal Central University, said, “We are witnessing record-breaking devotees in the state these days due to Uttarakhand Char Dham Yatra. Most of the devotees are reaching Kedarnath. Businessmen and the government are getting good income due to a large number of pilgrims reaching Kedarnath Dham. But at the same time, the ever-increasing human activity in Kedarnath has become a major threat to the environment.”
“The way plastic garbage has piled up in a sensitive place like Kedarnath is hazardous for our ecology. It`ll lead to erosion which can cause landslides. We must keep in mind the tragedy of 2013 and remain careful,” Negi said.
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Char Dham Yatra
This Yatra or pilgrimage is a tour of four holy sites – Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath – nestled high up in the Himalayas. In Hindi, `char` means four and `dham` refers to religious destinations. The opening of Gangotri and Yamunotri marks the commencement of the Uttarakhand Char Dham yatra.
Source: dnaindia.com