The annual Kanwar Yatra has concluded, but Uttarakhand is now facing a massive waste management challenge left behind by the pilgrims.
Nearly five crore devotees visited Haridwar during Sawan to collect holy Ganga water. After returning home following Shivratri, many pilgrims left behind large quantities of waste, including discarded clothes, plastic items and parts of Kanwars, with visuals showing garbage strewn across the ghats.
The situation was particularly evident at Har Ki Pauri, Haridwar’s most prominent ghat among more than 100 along the river. Used water bottles filled with urine were reportedly found abandoned in some changing rooms. Videos showed sanitation workers clearing the waste with shovels without gloves or masks.
The condition has drawn criticism from local residents, who described the situation as deeply unfortunate. One resident questioned the contradiction of pilgrims travelling long distances to worship the Ganga while leaving its banks littered with waste.
Authorities said around 7,000 tonnes of garbage had already been transported to dumping sites in Haridwar, resulting in huge piles of accumulated waste.
Municipal Commissioner Nandan Kumar said teams worked overnight after Shivratri to clear waste from the ghats, parking areas and roads across the city.
The waste problem was not limited to Haridwar and Rishikesh. Gangotri in Uttarkashi, where around 57,000 pilgrims reportedly travelled during Sawan to collect water from the river’s source, also witnessed significant waste accumulation.
Pilgrims returning from the area left behind large quantities of plastic, clothing and other waste, raising concerns over the impact on the fragile Himalayan ecosystem, including its flora and fauna.
The littering is particularly concerning as Gangotri has been designated a plastic-free zone. The accumulation of plastic and other waste has been described as a violation of environmental regulations and a threat to forest resources as well as the sanctity of the pilgrimage site.
Following the Yatra, the forest department launched a dedicated cleanliness drive in Gangotri. Workers collected 57 sacks of waste during the campaign for further disposal.