‘Carry me back’ drive launched at Kedarnath to tackle dry waste

Dehradun: With pilgrim numbers rising steadily, Kedarnath is grappling with mounting waste generation. To address the issue, the Kedarnath nagar panchayat has launched the ‘Carry Me Back’ campaign, under which pilgrims voluntarily carry bags of dry waste down the trek route for proper disposal.The initiative is a joint effort of the nagar panchayat, Sulabh International, a Delhi-based NGO, and an environmental NGO, aimed at improving dry waste management and promoting environmental conservation at the shrine.“The objective of this innovative initiative is to keep the dham area waste-free, strengthen sanitation systems and make the pilgrimage experience more organised and eco-friendly. The daily arrival of thousands of devotees at Kedarnath leads to an increase in the volume of dry waste, including plastics, packaging materials and other refuse. Given the shrine’s rugged geographical terrain, the timely disposal of this waste presents a significant challenge,” said Neeraj Kukreti, executive officer, Kedarnath nagar panchayat.The panchayat has prepared garbage bags capable of carrying 400-500 grams of dry waste each. “These have been placed near our MRF centre. Pilgrims can voluntarily carry the bags down the trek route to our collection point at Gaurikund, where our staff will empty them and collect the waste. Once sufficient waste has been accumulated, it will be sent for processing in accordance with scientific and environmental standards,” Kukreti added.Officials hope the initiative will prevent waste from accumulating in Kedarnath, help maintain cleanliness and strengthen the shrine’s sanitation infrastructure. “We hope to raise awareness among devotees regarding cleanliness and environmental conservation, thereby encouraging them to become active participants in this campaign,” the executive officer said.Officials also expect the campaign to discourage littering and encourage pilgrims to carry back their own waste for proper disposal, given the limited waste-management resources available at Kedarnath.TOI had earlier reported that 21.4 metric tonnes of waste were generated at the shrine last year, of which only about 40% was processed while the remainder was dumped. Officials said the two existing landfill sites have nearly reached capacity. More than 10 lakh pilgrims have already visited Kedarnath this season.