5 Crore Pilgrims, 7,000 Tonnes Of Garbage: Uttarakhand Grapples With A Massive Post-Kanwar Yatra Waste Crisis

The annual Kanwar Yatra has concluded, but Uttarakhand is now grappling with a massive waste problem left behind by the pilgrims.

Nearly five crore devotees visited Haridwar in Uttarakhand during Sawan to collect holy Ganga water. After returning home following Shivratri, many pilgrims left behind large quantities of waste, with visuals showing discarded clothes, plastic articles and parts of Kanwars strewn across the ghats.

The situation was particularly visible at Har Ki Pauri, Haridwar’s most prominent ghat among more than 100 along the river. In some changing rooms, used water bottles filled with urine were reportedly abandoned. Videos showed sanitation workers clearing the waste with shovels, without gloves or masks.

The condition has drawn criticism from local residents, who called it deeply unfortunate. One resident questioned the contradiction of pilgrims undertaking long journeys to worship the Ganga only to leave its banks littered with waste.

According to authorities, around 7,000 tonnes of garbage has already been transported to dumping sites in Haridwar, creating huge piles of accumulated waste.

Municipal Commissioner Nandan Kumar said teams worked overnight after Shivratri to clear the ghats, parking zones and roads across the city.

The waste problem extended beyond Haridwar and Rishikesh to Gangotri in Uttarkashi, where around 57,000 pilgrims reportedly travelled during Sawan to collect water from the river’s source.

Pilgrims returning from the area left behind large amounts of plastic, clothing and other waste, raising serious concerns for the fragile Himalayan ecosystem and its flora and fauna. The littering is particularly concerning as Gangotri has been designated a plastic-free zone.

The accumulation of plastic and other waste has been described as a violation of environmental regulations and a threat to the region’s forest resources and the sanctity of the pilgrimage site.

Following the Yatra, the forest department launched a dedicated cleanliness campaign in Gangotri. Workers collected 57 sacks of waste during the drive for further disposal.