An expert panel constituted by the National Green Tribunal to assess solid waste management on the trek routes of Char Dham shrines, Hemkund Sahib and Valley of Flowers , has said in its report that the infrastructure for waste management at the sites is “grossly inadequate”.
“Mule faeces, solid waste and plastic waste can be seen littered around and toilets with soak pits are filled with garbage. The number of public toilets is also far less than the number of pilgrims arriving,” the report’s findings noted.
According to the report, the quantity of non-biodegradable waste at Hemkund Sahib trek and Valley of Flowers was 55 tonnes. And collection of such waste from Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri in 2022 was around one tonne. The NGT, on August 12, 2022, had formed the panel comprising nominees from Central Pollution Control Board(CPCB), Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change, state pollution control board and GB Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment. The nodal officer, regional director of CPCB, was directed to place “a factual report on the matter.” The report was submitted to NGT on February 8.
Following submission of the report, the NGT said, “A socio-ecological criteria based extensive study is required in this regard. A system for managing and regulating people in pilgrimage locations, particularly during peak season (April, May and June), should be developed.” The green panel added: “The report shows a serious failure on the administration’s part in breach of its constitutional responsibility for which accountability needs to be fixed and the situation remedied on a war-footing for protection of the environment in the fragile ecosystem of Himalayas.” It further said that the matter needs to be taken up at the “highest level” instead of leaving the responsibility with zila panchayats. The NGT stated that “various stake-holders, including a joint committee of Uttarakhand chief secretary, additional chief secretary of environment and forest, DGP, zila panchayats’ chairpersons of Rudraprayag district (where Kedarnath is situated) and Uttarkashi (where Gangotri and Yamunotri are located), among others, may meet within 15 days to take stock of the situation and prepare a road map. “The action plan may include recommendations discouraging use of food and products packed in non-biodegradable packaging material, encouraging depositing waste at designated places and involving citizens in maintaining cleanliness and hygiene, the bench said, adding that an action-taken report should be filed before the tribunal “within two months”.
