Waste disposal gaps raise pollution concerns on Char Dham route

Uttarkashi: Environmental concerns are mounting along the Char Dham Yatra route as the absence of proper waste-disposal arrangements at key halt points such as Matli, Barethi, Ganeshpur, Netala and Mando has led to garbage being dumped on hillsides and in open areas.Large numbers of devotees stop at these locations for meals and overnight stays during the pilgrimage season, generating substantial quantities of waste. As the areas fall outside municipal limits, there is no organised system for routine garbage collection and disposal.Local hoteliers and traders say they are often left to manage the waste themselves. With few disposal options available, heaps of garbage have accumulated on slopes overlooking the Bhagirathi river.

Residents fear that monsoon rains could wash the waste into the Bhagirathi and Ganga rivers, increasing the risk of pollution.Navneet Dabral, a hotelier from Netala, said he has repeatedly urged the municipal authorities to send waste-collection vehicles to the area, but no permanent solution has been put in place.Dhiraj Semwal, vice-president of the hotel association, said the district panchayat collects annual sanitation charges of Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000 in Netala, but the effectiveness of the waste-management system remains unclear.

He added the sharp rise in pilgrims during the yatra season significantly increases the burden on local businesses.Shailendra Matuda, president of the Uttarkashi Hotel Association, said that while the govt emphasises cleanliness during the Char Dham yatra, the lack of waste-management facilities at key halt points undermines those efforts.He urged the administration to ensure regular garbage collection, door-to-door waste pickup and scientific disposal of waste at major stopovers such as Matli, Barethi, Ganeshpur, Netala and Mando to protect the environment and keep the Ganga clean.