Himachal’s waste woes mount as dumping continues unchecked

DESPITE years of warnings, viral videos and awareness campaigns, Himachal Pradesh continues to drown in garbage. From the Dhauladhar foothills to the valleys of Manali and Kasol, the problem is no longer just unsightly, it’s existential. For all the promises of eco-tourism and “Green Himachal” slogans, the mountains of waste have only grown taller. The Dhauladhar range, home to serene destinations like Bir-Billing and Palampur, now reels under tonnes of plastic waste, liquor bottles and discarded wrappers. Trekkers and tourists leave behind an average of 3-4 kg of trash each, choking rivers like the Uhal and polluting remote forest trails. Local bodies and volunteers, such as the Bundla Youth Club in Palampur, have stepped in with admirable effort. But this is not a problem that can be solved with weekend clean-ups.