Garbage an eyesore on way to Bijli Mahadev

Dipender Manta

Tribune News Service

Mandi, July 15

Bijli Mahadev in Kullu district is no longer spic-and-span. It is now dotted by polybags, disposable plates and glasses. The route leading to the temple through dense forests is all littered.

During summer, a large number of tourists and trekkers come to Bijli Mahadev to pay obeisance to Lord Shiva. But they forget that it’s their responsibility to keep the place clean. There are also no dustbins on the way to the shrine.

At a few places, wooden dustbins have been placed, which are in a bad shape. Locals have been demanding that the temple committee and the district administration should get new dustbins.

Gaurav Bhardwaj, president, Yatan, an NGO, who organises cleanliness drives every year at Bijli Mahadev and its surrounding areas, told The Tribune that “dumping plastic in the forest area could be a threat to the ecology.”

“He said the district administration is mulling over developing the area to attract more tourists. Some arrangements have to be made for garbage disposal,” he said.

Yatharth, a tourist from Delhi, said: “The authorities should work out a solution.”

The Forest Department has now put up a notice board warning the visitors against littering the area. A fine up to Rs5,000 will be imposed for the same. Nobody has been fined so far. When contacted, Assistant Conservator of Forests, Kullu, Manoj Kumar said the department would launch a cleanliness drive.

Bijli Mahadev is one of the sacred temples in Kullu district. It is located at an altitude of about 2,460m in Kharahal. Every year, a large number of devotees visit the place.