PIONEER NEWS SERVICE/ Uttarkashi
In latest news from Uttarakhand, the people of Uttarkashi district, which houses two of the four dhams-Gangotri and Yamunotri- drawing millions of pilgrims during the Yatra season every year, lauded the initiative the district administration has taken of setting up modern solid waste management plants at Gangotri and Janakichatti routes of the pilgrimage. At
these plants, solid waste is being classified, processed and disposed of scientifically. Under the supervision of the Nagar Panchayat and District Panchayat, the waste is being separated into wet and dry parts. Dry waste such as plastic bottles and wrappers is being compressed and prepared for recycling while organic waste is being converted into compost to be used in local gardens.
Hailing the initiative, Ganga Vichar Manch’s State convenor Lokendra Singh Bisht said that the initiative is going to give a new direction to the society at large. “We must
look at Ganga and Himalaya with reverence as well as with the view of conservation. This is a right move in the right direction,” he added.
Speaking of the initiative,
the district magistrate Meherban Singh Bisht said that their objective was to make the Char Dham Yatra a clean, safe and environmentally friendly experience. “By setting up solid waste management centres in Gangotri and Jankichatti, we have laid a strong foundation in this direction. We want local bodies, departments and the common people to participate in this mission,” he added.
The executive officer of Gangotri Nagar Palika, Umesh Suyal said that they would organise a special campaign to collect the items being thrown by the pilgrims in Ganga and convert them into reusable ones. “These dumped items pollute the Ganga. We will involve some organisations in this cleanliness campaign,” he added.
