Kanwar Yatra 2023: Devotees And Tourists Generate 30,000 Tonnes Of Garbage In Haridwar

After 40 million devotees of Shiva visited Haridwar in Uttarakhand for the annual Kanwar Yatra, the authorities cleaned up about 30,000-tonne garbage from the Ganga Ghats, markets, parking lots and the roads that cover a distance of 42 km called the Kanwar stretch from Har-ki-Pauri. Reports say that the cleaning authorities had to work overtime to clear out the huge piles of garbage. 

Reportedly the authorities have said that in order to clean the whole city, they might need a few weeks to complete it. Municipal town commissioner Dayanand Saraswati informed the media that the cleaning process started on Saturday and continued by saying, “Round-the-clock cleaning of the Ganga ghats, roads, bridges, parking lots, and a temporary bus stand is being carried out. We have increased the number of workers to 600 for the time-bound cleaning. We have also started spraying insecticides and fogging in the mela area."

According to the officials, waste generated in Haridwar normally is 200-300 metric tonnes but during Kanwar Yatra and other festivals, the waste generation goes up to 500-2000 tonnes. 

Kanwar Yatra

For the annual Kanwar Yatra, millions of devotees of Shivago to places like Haridwar, Rishikesh and Gomukh to fetch the holy water of the Ganga River which they carry on their shoulders and as offerings to the Shiva temples in the localities there.

Garbage collection from Kanwar Yatra

The seven-day rain spell in Uttarakhand during the Kanwar Yatra has affected the proper garbage collection and disposal, said the officials reportedly. The Haridwar Municipal Corporation reportedly has arranged for 40 more garbage ferrying vehicles to their regular service for faster cleanup. 

According to the reports, a cleaning drive was carried out at Haridwar's Vishnu Ghat on Sunday by Senior Police Superintendent Ajay Singh and hundreds of police personnel.

Mahamandaleshwar Hari Chetnanand Maharaj of Udasin Akhada reportedly said that according to old scriptures, if a pilgrim pollutes the sacred Ganga, ghats and other places of worship during their pilgrimage, it is not considered successful. He also said, "In Vedic scriptures even staying at Har-ki-Pauri or near revered shrines is not considered appropriate as the sanctity of such holy places gets affected. Devotees should ensure they do not commit any such unreligious act.”

A local priest named Ujjwal Pundit said that the pilgrims and tourists need to be sensitised and made aware to keep the Ganga and Haridwar clean. 

According to the reports, Activist Anoop Nautiyal shared his point of view to curb the pollution of the holy river and the pilgrimage areas, he said, "If such a huge amount of garbage is left at Ganga ghats, then it is a failure of local administration. ...Segregation of garbage and waste material lying in the open amid rainy spells is impossible. So eventually it will go to landfill or dumping sites. Every year Kanwar pilgrimage is held so long-term planning is required...NGOs, experts on waste material management should also be roped in.”