On-site waste segregation on cards for Manimahesh Yatra

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Chamba, July 26

The Bharmour administration and Manimahesh Temple Trust have planned comprehensive sanitation measures to tackle plastic and other waste during the annual Manimahesh Yatra.

Bharmour Subdivisional Magistrate (SDM) Kulbir Singh Rana said plastic waste would be segregated on site and sent to appropriate recycling facilities. Preparations were under way to ensure the successful implementation of this initiative, he added.

Compared to previous years, an increased number of sanitation workers will be deployed at various checkpoints along the pilgrimage route. This decision aims to manage plastic waste more effectively.

SDM Rana said the yatra would begin on August 26 and preparations were in full swing to provide the best experience to the pilgrims. The fortnight-long yatra will conclude on September 11.

The administration has laid out a comprehensive plan to ensure cleanliness at different stages of the pilgrimage.

Special emphasis is being placed on the management of plastic waste, with on-site segregation being a key strategy. To facilitate this, 26 additional sanitation workers will be appointed specifically to segregate plastic waste on the spot.

The SDM added that there would be a complete ban on carrying polythene during the pilgrimage. He said a total of 94 sanitation workers would be deployed at various key points on the Manimahesh-Kailash route, an increase from last year. This increased workforce will ensure that plastic waste is segregated on-site and then transported to facilities where it can be effectively utilised.

“The administration and Manimahesh Temple Trust are committed to providing the best possible facilities to the devotees during the pilgrimage, with special focus on maintaining cleanliness and managing plastic waste efficiently,” he reiterated.

Each year, lakhs of pilgrims from Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana and other parts of the country trek to Manimahesh to catch a glimpse of Mount Kailash, believed to be the abode of Lord Shiva. The yatra begins on Janmashtami, the birthday of Lord Krishna, and concludes on Radha Ashtmi, the birthday of Lord Krishna’s divine consort Radha.

The challenging 13-kilometre uphill journey starts from the Hadsar base camp, situated at approximately 6,000 ft and passes through steep hills and sprawling glaciers before concluding at Manimahesh Lake, situated at an altitude of 13,500 feet.