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Haridwar tackles 7,000 tonnes of trash after Kanwar Yatra
The Kanwar Yatra in Haridwar generated an estimated 7,000 metric tonnes of garbage, including nearly 2,000 tonnes in its final two days. Around 4.8 crore pilgrims visited the city to collect Ganga…
The Story in Brief
The Kanwar Yatra in Haridwar generated an estimated 7,000 metric tonnes of garbage, including nearly 2,000 tonnes in its final two days. Around 4.8 crore pilgrims visited the city to collect Ganga water, the highest on record. The municipal corporation has deployed over 1,000 sanitation workers and 80 vehicles for a week-long cleanup drive, using drones for the first time to monitor waste hotspots. Discarded plastic, clothes, and Kanwar structures now litter the ghats and streets. Environmentalists warn that rain could wash waste into the Ganga, raising bacterial and microplastic levels.
The Indian Opinion
The blame game has predictably begun: some fault pilgrims, others the administration. But 4.8 crore visitors in two weeks would strain any city. The real failure is the absence of pre-planned, scalable waste management. Haridwar knew the numbers weeks in advance. Will the district administration now enforce the plastic ban at entry points and make pre-paid garbage disposal part of the yatra permit for next year?
Sources (3): hindustantimes.com, ndtv.com, indiatoday.in
This story was synthesised by AI from the 3 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 3 sources.
