By Razia Noor, Srinagar: With the beginning of the Shri Amarnath Yatra on July 3, more than 2.5 lakh devotees have already had darshan at the holy cave.
The number of pilgrims visiting the shrine this year is expected to cross five lakh. In view of the large footfall, extensive arrangements have been put in place to ensure effective waste management and prevent pollution across the Himalayan peaks and pilgrimage routes.
As lakhs of devotees arrive for the annual pilgrimage, single-use plastic has been completely prohibited during the yatra. Pilgrims are being provided with cloth bags to reduce plastic waste and encourage sustainable practices.
In addition, mule dung generated along the pilgrimage routes is being collected using specialised machines and used to operate biogas plants. This initiative will help generate biofuel while ensuring that the pilgrimage tracks remain free from waste pollution.
Who is responsible for waste management during the Amarnath Yatra?
The Shri Amarnath Shrine Board has assigned the responsibility of waste management to Indore-based non-government organisation Swaaha Resource Management Private Limited.
The organisation’s CEO, Dr Sameer Sharma, said that every effort is being made to ensure that even a small amount of waste does not accumulate along the pilgrimage route. The collected waste will be segregated and processed separately.
Once the yatra ends, environmental workers will conduct a final cleaning drive to restore the pilgrimage tracks and surrounding Himalayan areas to clean any waste.
The Rural Sanitation Department of Jammu and Kashmir will also monitor the initiative. Around 4,000 workers have been deployed to maintain cleanliness along the pilgrimage routes, including 623 personnel dedicated specifically to waste management.
Dustbins, cloth bags and awareness drives to reduce waste
Dustbins have been installed along both routes leading to the holy cave. Cleaning teams have also been deployed to collect solid and liquid waste generated during the pilgrimage.
To educate devotees about environmentally responsible practices, street plays, puppet shows, and awareness campaigns are being conducted at community kitchens set up along the pilgrimage routes.
Pilgrims are being encouraged to carry reusable steel utensils, including plates, bowls, and spoons, to reduce the use of disposable items. They have also been advised to avoid plastic bags and use cloth alternatives.
As part of the waste management campaign, around 1.5 lakh cloth bags have already been distributed among pilgrims to protect the fragile Himalayan ecosystem surrounding the holy cave.
Additionally, eight water ATMs have been installed along the pilgrimage route. Each ATM provides approximately 6,000 litres of drinking water every 12 hours.
The facility is expected to reduce dependence on packaged drinking water and prevent the use of nearly 50,000 plastic bottles daily, amounting to around 30 lakh bottles during the entire pilgrimage period.
What are the major challenges in keeping the Amarnath Yatra clean?
The number of pilgrims visiting the holy cave this year is expected to cross five lakh. However, since the yatra began on July 3, more than 2.5 lakh devotees have already completed darshan.
Managing waste generated by a large number of pilgrims remains one of the biggest challenges during the yatra. Officials estimate that waste collected from both pilgrimage routes could reach around 400 tonnes this year.
If the number of devotees rises to six lakh, the waste load could increase further, requiring continued monitoring and efficient disposal systems.
Another major challenge is the management of waste generated by around 25,000 to 30,000 mules operating along the pilgrimage routes. These animals produce a large quantity of dung every day, requiring an effective disposal and recycling system.
For the first time, machines have been deployed to collect mule dung, and a five-cubic-metre biogas plant has been installed to convert the waste into methane.
The initiative aims to generate clean energy from animal waste while reducing pollution along the pilgrimage paths.
Strict penalties have also been introduced for the use of plastic glasses as part of efforts to make Baba Barfani’s pilgrimage cleaner and more sustainable.
Methane-powered lamp made using mule dung
A methane-powered lamp has been installed at the Baltal Exhibition Centre using fuel generated from processed mule dung. Visitors can directly witness the lamp being powered through methane produced from animal waste.
This technology is being used to produce green fuel while demonstrating how waste can be converted into a valuable energy resource.